At the home, Zack smashed her over the head with a bottle, slammed her head into the floor, raped her and stabbed her four times in the center of the chest with the oyster knife, court records show. He then stole the woman’s television, VCR and purse and tried to pawn the electronics. The pawn shop suspected the items were stolen and Zack fled and hid in an empty house for two days before he was arrested, according to court records.

Zack, now 54, admitted to killing Smith. He said he became enraged and beat her when she made a comment about his mother’s murder, which his sister committed. He also said he thought Smith was going to another room to get a gun when he stabbed her in self defense.

Zack’s lawyers had sought to stop the execution, arguing that he was a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder. On Monday afternoon, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Zack’s appeal for a stay of execution without comment.

Zack’s execution was the eighth under Gov. Ron DeSantis since 2019 and the sixth this year after no executions were carried out from 2020 to 2022. DeSantis has made tougher, more far-reaching death penalty laws an issue in his presidential campaign.