• Source:JND
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Bryan Frederick Jennings, a former Marine, was executed in Florida on Thursday for the 1979 rape and murder of six-year-old Rebecca Kunash. Jennings, 64, was pronounced dead at 6:20 pm local time after receiving a three-drug lethal injection at a Florida correctional facility. The execution proceeded without complications, according to Jordan Kirkland of the Florida Department of Corrections. 

Court records reveal that on May 11, 1979, Jennings, then a 20-year-old Marine on leave, entered the home of six-year-old Rebecca Kunash while her parents were away. He removed the screen from her bedroom window, abducted her, and drove her to a nearby canal. There, he sexually assaulted her and, according to testimony, fractured her skull before drowning her. Jennings was arrested hours later after a traffic stop when his description matched witness accounts.

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Trials And Convictions

Jennings was tried three times for Kunash’s murder. His first two convictions and death sentences were overturned on appeal. In a third trial in March 1986, he was once again sentenced to death. During the trial, Jennings presented several mitigating factors, including testimony from two psychologists claiming his ability to conform to the law was impaired. Prosecutors countered that Jennings’ actions that night demonstrated intact cognitive ability. Ultimately, the jury rejected these mitigating factors, and 11 of 12 jurors recommended the death penalty.

Beyond the murder conviction, Jennings also received life sentences for kidnapping, sexual assault, and burglary. His final appeal was rejected by the US Supreme Court on Wednesday, clearing the way for his execution.

Death Row And Execution Delays

Following his 1986 conviction, Jennings spent decades on death row. Former Florida Governor Bob Martinez signed a death warrant in 1989, but the Florida Supreme Court blocked the execution, allowing Jennings to remain imprisoned. It wasn’t until October 10, 2025, that Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new death warrant, leading to the completion of the execution. Jennings declined to make a final statement before his death.

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