A killer on death row used his final words to express regret to the family of a police officer whom he fatally shot 35 years ago.
Billy Leon Kearse was executed today for the murder of Danny Parrish, thus becoming the third individual to be put to death by Florida this year. The 53 year old man murmured an apology to the victim’s family, some of whom were present at Florida State Prison near Starke, to witness Kearse receive a three-drug injection, The Mirror reports.
PC Parrish’s widow, Mirtha Busbin, expressed surprise at Kearse’s apology but emphasised that she could forgive him. She stated: “I can forgive him, I can move on. It was the right thing to do… It’s been a long, long 35 years. We didn’t win anything though; we lost another life, but we did get justice.”
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Before receiving the lethal injection, Kearse said: “To his family, I sincerely apologise for what I’ve done. There is no way I can ever repay that.”
His final words referred to the 1991 incident when Kearse used PC Parrish’s own service weapon to fire 14 times following a vehicle stop.
Police officers also assembled to witness the execution, supporting PC Parrish’s family. They continue to advocate for harsher – and swifter – penalties for those who assault or attack police officers across the US.
PC Parrish, who also served as a sergeant in the US Army, had pulled over Kearse’s vehicle after he had travelled the wrong way down a one-way street, and subsequently failed to present the officer with his driving licence. Kearse grabbed PC Parrish’s revolver after he finally exited the vehicle, and the criminal discharged rounds at the officer.
A taxi driver heard the gunfire and summoned assistance using the officer’s radio, but PC Parrish died after being transported to hospital. Police utilised registration plate details relayed by PC Parrish during the traffic stop to apprehend Kearse at his residence.
Kearse was originally found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery and handed the death penalty in 1991. The Florida Supreme Court subsequently determined the trial court had failed to provide jurors with certain details regarding aggravating circumstances and ordered fresh sentencing.
Kearse was again handed the death penalty in 1997.
A total of 47 individuals were executed in the US in 2025. Florida topped the list with a succession of death warrants signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, considerably exceeding Alabama, South Carolina and Texas which each carried out five executions last year.
The 19 Florida executions that year surpassed the previous record totals of eight in both 1984 and 2014.