David Pittman was executed by the state of Florida on September 17, 2025, for the 1990 triple murder of his estranged wife’s family. The Florida Attorney General’s Office opposed his appeals, which included claims of intellectual disability.
Key details regarding the case and the attorney general’s involvement:
The crime: In May 1990, prosecutors say Pittman, who was going through a divorce, fatally stabbed his estranged wife’s parents, Clarence and Barbara Knowles, and her 20-year-old sister, Bonnie Knowles, in Mulberry, Florida. He then set their house on fire.
Appeals based on intellectual disability: Pittman’s attorneys filed several appeals over the years, arguing that his intellectual disability, low IQ, childhood abuse, and brain damage made his execution unconstitutional.
The Attorney General’s position: The Florida Attorney General’s Office countered these claims, arguing they were meritless and that evidence showed Pittman methodically planned the murders. They asserted that any claim of intellectual disability was contradicted by evidence of his “adaptive function,” such as cutting the phone lines before the attack.
Legal setbacks: Pittman faced several legal obstacles to his appeals. A 2020 Florida Supreme Court ruling effectively barred his intellectual disability claim from being applied retroactively. Lower courts and the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately denied his final appeals.
Execution: Pittman was executed by lethal injection, becoming the 12th person executed in Florida in 2025.
The Attorney General’s office, as the state’s legal representative, defended the conviction and sentence throughout the appeals process, ultimately prevailing against Pittman’s legal challenges.