Florida: Execution Nears for Death Row Inmate Who Killed Convenience Store Owner After More Than Three Decades

STARKE, Florida — Melvin Trotter, 65, faced execution at Florida State Prison near Starke at 6 p.m. ET on February 24. This marks the second execution in Florida in 2026.

Trotter was convicted of first-degree murder in 1987 for the killing of Virgie Langford, a convenience store owner in Palmetto, during a 1986 robbery. Although initially sentenced to death in 1987, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a resentencing due to errors in considering aggravating circumstances. By 1993, a jury once again sentenced him to death.

Details of the Murder Case

According to court records, Melvin Trotter strangled and stabbed Langford inside her store. A truck driver later found Langford still alive, and she was able to describe the suspect before dying at the hospital. She stated that her attacker wore a Tropicana employee badge with the name “Melvin” on it.

Police found a shirt with the victim's blood type at Trotter's home. Furthermore, his fingerprints were discovered on a meat freezer inside Langford's store, further strengthening the incriminating evidence.

Final Appeal and the State of Capital Punishment in Florida

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Trotter's appeal. His lawyers argued that the Department of Corrections had mismanaged the execution protocol and contended that his age of 65 should be a factor in granting clemency. A final appeal is currently pending review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Florida leads in the number of executions, with 19 cases in 2025 – the highest number in a single year since capital punishment was reinstated in the U.S. in 1976. Governor Ron DeSantis has signed more execution warrants than any Florida governor in the modern era. A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025, with Florida leading, followed by Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas, each with 5 cases.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, the lethal injection execution process consists of three stages: injection of a sedative, followed by a paralytic agent, and finally, a drug to stop the heart. Two other executions in Florida have also been scheduled for March 2026: Billy Leon Kearse on March 3 and Michael Lee King on March 17.