Michael Tanzi, a death row inmate in Florida once described as a “fledgling serial killer”, was executed on Tuesday evening for the brutal abduction and murder of newspaper employee Janet Acosta 24 years ago. He was pronounced dead at 6.12pm local time following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Raiford. In his final moments, Tanzi offered an apology to the victim’s family and recited a Bible verse.
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Tanzi’s legal team had sought a stay of execution from the US Supreme Court, citing concerns over the pain he might endure due to his size. Medical expert Dr Joel Zivot warned that restraining Tanzi in a supine position could cause “needless suffering” and that catheter displacement could result in extreme distress. However, the court rejected the appeal hours before the execution was carried out. Tanzi, 48, was the third person executed in Florida this year and one of two executions scheduled in the US this week.
The crime occurred in April 2000 when Tanzi, needing a lift to Key West, ambushed Acosta while she was reading in her car during a break at work. After physically assaulting her, he forced his way into the vehicle and subjected her to hours of abuse, including rape and threats of extreme violence. Fearing arrest, Tanzi later drove to an isolated area and strangled her to death, covering her mouth, nose and eyes with duct tape before disposing of her body.
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Tanzi was arrested two days later and confessed during police interviews. In 2003, a jury unanimously recommended the death penalty. Acosta’s family expressed relief at the sentencing, with her sister stating they wanted “justice done” and to prevent others from suffering similar pain. In addition to Acosta’s murder, Tanzi had earlier confessed to killing Caroline Holder in Massachusetts, further solidifying his reputation as a dangerous repeat offender.
