Florida

Florida man convicted of killing 2 women whose bodies were found in a pond is set to be executed

Published

19 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Florida man convicted of killing 2 women whose bodies were found in a pond is set to be executed

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday evening.

Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, is set to receive a lethal injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke under a death warrant signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. It would be Florida’s 14th death sentence carried out in 2025, further extending the state record for executions in a single year.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, the highest previous annual total of Florida executions was eight in 2014. Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, followed by Texas with five.

Smithers was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1999.

According to court records, Smithers met Christy Cowan and Denise Roach on different dates in May 1996 at a Tampa motel to pay them for sex. At the time, he was doing landscape maintenance on a 27-acre (11-hectare) property that included three ponds in rural Plant City, Florida.

On May 28, 1996, the property owner — who had met Smithers in church where he was a Baptist deacon — stopped by to find Smithers cleaning an axe in the carport, which he claimed to be using to trim tree limbs. The property owner noticed a pool of blood in the carport, and Smithers told her that someone must have come by and killed a small animal, according to court records.

The woman contacted law enforcement, and a sheriff’s deputy met her later that day at the property. The blood had been cleaned up, but the deputy noticed drag marks leading to one of the ponds, according to court records. That’s where authorities found the bodies of Cowan and Roach. Both women had been severely beaten, strangled and left in the pond to die.

The Florida Supreme Court denied an appeal from Smithers last week. His attorneys had argued that his age should make him ineligible for execution under the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Although Smithers would be one of the oldest people ever executed in Florida, the justices ruled that the elderly are not categorically exempt from the death penalty.

An appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court was still pending.

A total of 35 men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S., and at least eight other people are scheduled to be put to death during the remainder of 2025.

Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is scheduled for Florida’s 15th execution on Oct. 28. He was convicted of raping and killing his neighbor, whose body was found by a fisherman near the Pensacola Bay Bridge in 1998.

Bryan Fredrick Jennings, 66, is set for Florida’s 16th execution on Nov. 13. He was convicted of raping and killing a 6-year-old girl after abducting her from her central Florida home in 1979.

Florida executions are carried out using a three-drug injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the state Department of Corrections.

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Florida

Men’s Basketball Single-Game Tickets On Sale Now – Florida Gators

Published

7 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

Men’s Basketball Single-Game Tickets On Sale Now – Florida Gators

Single-game tickets for the 2025-26 Florida men’s basketball season are now on sale.

Fans can purchase tickets at FloridaGators.com, by calling the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, or in person at Gate 2 on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Arena Pass
Although traditional season tickets that include Booster contributions are sold out, Arena Passes for the 2025-26 season are still available. For $450, fans will receive tickets to all 15 home games with no Booster contribution required. The Arena Pass offers a different seating location for each game, giving fans a fresh experience every time inside the O’Dome. Seat assignments are randomly generated each game week, and fans can link accounts for the entire season or purchase single-game guest passes to sit with friends.

All Gators Weekend Pack
The All Gators Weekend Pack is now available, which includes the Florida men’s basketball game against Merrimack on Friday, November 21, and the Florida football game against Tennessee on Saturday, November 22, for only $149 plus taxes/fees.

All fans attending the Merrimack men’s basketball game will receive a 2025 NCAA National Championship replica ring, presented by Meldon Law.

Season Tickets
Traditional season tickets are officially SOLD OUT for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

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Florida

Men’s Basketball Tops SEC’s Preseason Media Poll; Three Tabbed All-SEC – Florida Gators

Published

1 day ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

Men’s Basketball Tops SEC’s Preseason Media Poll; Three Tabbed All-SEC – Florida Gators

Florida men’s basketball has been tabbed as the media’s preseason pick in the Southeastern Conference, while Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and Boogie Fland were all named preseason All-SEC.

Condon, the Gators’ top returning scorer from last season, received first-team All-SEC honors in the poll, while Thomas Haugh and Boogie Fland both garnered second-team recognition. Voters in the preseason poll were a select panel of both SEC and national media members.

It marks the third time since the preseason SEC poll began in 1989 that UF has been selected as the preseason favorite, also receiving that distinction in 2006-07 and 2010-11. Florida went on to win the SEC title both of those seasons.

The 2025-26 campaign begins Monday, Nov. 3, with conference play set to begin Saturday, Jan. 3. The 2025 SEC Tournament will be March 11-15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

First Team All-SEC
Alex Condon – Florida
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
Otega Oweh – Kentucky
Tahaad Pettiford – Auburn
Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama

Second Team All-SEC
Nate Ament – Tennessee
Boogie Fland – Florida
Ja’Kobi Gillespie – Tennessee
Thomas Haugh – Florida
Mark Mitchell – Missouri

Third Team All-SEC
Malik Dia – Ole Miss
Aden Holloway – Alabama
Karter Knox – Arkansas
Jaland Lowe – Kentucky
D.J. Wagner – Arkansas

SEC Player of the Year
Otega Oweh – Kentucky

Predicted Order Of Finish
1.      Florida
2.      Kentucky
3.      Tennessee
4.      Alabama
5.      Arkansas
6.      Auburn
7.      Missouri
8.      Ole Miss
9.      Texas
10.    Mississippi State
11.    Vanderbilt
12.    Oklahoma
13.    Texas A&M
14.    Georgia
15.    LSU
16.    South Carolina

2025-26 Florida Men’s Basketball Ticket Information
Traditional season tickets are officially SOLD OUT for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Arena Pass
Although traditional season tickets that include Booster contributions are sold out, Arena Passes for the 2025-26 season are still available. For $450, fans will receive tickets to all 15 home games with no Booster contribution required. The Arena Pass offers a different seating location for each game, giving fans a fresh experience every time inside the O’Dome. Seat assignments are randomly generated each game week, and fans can link accounts for the entire season or purchase single-game guest passes to sit with friends.

All Gators Weekend Pack
The All Gators Weekend Pack is now available, which includes the Florida men’s basketball game against Merrimack on Friday, November 21, and the Florida football game against Tennessee on Saturday, November 22, for only $149 plus taxes/fees.

All fans attending the Merrimack men’s basketball game will receive a 2025 NCAA National Championship replica ring, presented by Meldon Law.

Single Games
Single-game and select discounted tickets will go on sale to Swamp Certified members on October 10, followed by the public on-sale beginning October 14^th. Become Swamp Certified today to participate in the exclusive presale ahead of October 14. It’s free and takes less than two minutes to complete.

Fans can purchase tickets at FloridaGators.com, by calling the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, or in person at Gate 2 on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

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Florida

Florida Lottery Cash4Life, Fantasy 5 results for Oct. 12, 2025

Published

2 days ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

Florida Lottery Cash4Life, Fantasy 5 results for Oct. 12, 2025

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots. Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

12-15-20-30-59, Cash Ball: 03

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Midday: 06-17-18-19-25

Evening: 01-10-16-23-36

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Morning: 11

Matinee: 04

Afternoon: 05

Evening: 10

Late Night: 05

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Midday: 7-2, FB: 2

Evening: 0-5, FB: 8

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Midday: 1-8-9, FB: 2

Evening: 4-3-2, FB: 8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Midday: 6-4-5-3, FB: 2

Evening: 0-2-5-2, FB: 8

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Oct. 12 drawing

Midday: 8-1-9-4-2, FB: 2

Evening: 0-7-2-0-0, FB: 8

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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