Florida schedules execution for 1998 murder
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has set an execution date of Oct. 28, 2025, for Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, who was convicted in December 2000 of sexually battering and killing his next‑door neighbor Cynthia Campbell in 1998. Campbell’s remains were found off the Pensacola Bay Bridge; prosecutors say DNA and other physical evidence tied Grim to the crime, which included blunt‑force injuries and multiple stab wounds. The state will carry out the sentence by lethal injection; appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court are expected.
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📰 Sources (1)
Florida sets execution date for man who killed neighbor in 1998
New information:
- Execution date: Oct. 28, 2025, set by Gov. Ron DeSantis
- Defendant: Norman Mearle Grim Jr., convicted of sexual battery and first‑degree murder in Dec. 2000
- Victim and crime details: Cynthia Campbell found off Pensacola Bay Bridge; autopsy showed blunt‑force trauma and 11 stab wounds (seven penetrating the heart); DNA evidence linked Grim to the killing
- Context: Florida led the nation in executions in 2025, having carried out its 12th execution on Sept. 17; 33 people executed nationwide so far in 2025