Family Seeks Mercy as Man Faces Execution for 1992 Murders

A Family's Plea for Mercy in the Face of Execution

The case of Curtis Windom, who is scheduled to be executed later this month, has sparked a deeply emotional and complex debate. His family, including his daughter, is urging the state to reconsider its decision to carry out the death penalty. Windom was convicted in 1992 for the deaths of three people and the injury of a fourth in Winter Garden, Florida. The victims included his girlfriend, Valerie Davis, her mother, Mary Lubin, and his best friend, Johnny Lee.

Prosecutors claimed that Windom killed the three individuals because he suspected they had become informants. Despite his defense attorney’s request for clemency during sentencing, the jury unanimously decided that Windom should receive the death penalty. Now, after 33 years, Governor Ron DeSantis has signed Windom’s death warrant, setting the execution date for August 28 at 6 p.m.

Curtisia Windom, who is not only Curtis Windom’s daughter but also the daughter of one of the victims, has become a central voice in the plea for mercy. She shared her personal story with WESH 2, explaining that she was just nine months old when her mother and grandmother were killed. Raised by relatives of both her mother and father, she had a close relationship with her father from an early age. It wasn’t until she was around 11 that she learned the full extent of what had happened.

“I only knew great things about my dad,” she said. “I didn’t know that this is the same reason that I don’t have my mom and grandma to this day.” Over the past two decades, Curtisia has worked through her anger toward her father. Now, she is actively trying to prevent his execution, believing that it would cause further trauma for her family.

“It’s retraumatizing,” she explained. “My kids know him. My kids have a real relationship with him, so now I would have to teach them, ‘Hey, grandad is not here anymore for a mistake he made in 1992.’” She has been writing letters to the state and signing petitions, while representatives for her father have filed a motion for a stay of execution. The outcome will be decided by a court.

For Curtisia, the loss of her mother and grandmother has already been devastating. She acknowledges that her father made serious mistakes, but she believes he is not a bad person. “I’ve already lost my Mom, I’ve already lost my grandma,” she said. “This is my dad at the end of the day.”

WESH 2 attempted to reach out to relatives of Johnny Lee to understand their perspective on the upcoming execution. However, no responses were received. Meanwhile, an appeals court is set to rule on the motion to stay the execution by Friday.

The case has drawn attention to the broader implications of capital punishment and the emotional toll it takes on families. As the execution date approaches, the voices of those connected to the case continue to highlight the complexity of justice, grief, and the human element behind every legal decision.