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Florida resumes executions: Child killer dies

Florida executed Mark Dean Schwab by lethal injection for kidnapping, raping and killing an 11-year-old boy.
Image: Mark Dean Schwab
Mark Dean Schwab, 39, was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday. He was convicted of the 1991 kidnap, rape and murder of 11 year-old Junny Rios-Martinez. AFP - Getty Images
/ Source: The Associated Press

Florida carried out the state's first execution of a 39-year-old pedophile since a botched lethal injection procedure prompted a moratorium and an investigation.

Gov. Charlie Crist's office said Mark Dean Schwab died by lethal injection at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Schwab was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing an 11-year-old Junny Rios-Martinez in 1991.

The execution was the initial test of Florida's new lethal injection procedure, which was instituted after Angel Diaz was put to death in December 2006. Needles to inject the deadly chemicals into Diaz missed their mark and he suffered burns and extreme pain.

Schwab unsuccessfully challenged Florida's new procedure in court. 

In the Diaz execution, the executioner pushed the needle through his veins into his muscles, causing severe chemical burns on his arms. Several times during the process, Diaz could be seen grimacing and asked at one time, "What's going on?"

Changes to execution process
Under one lethal injection procedure, one change calls for the warden to assess whether the inmate is unconscious after sodium pentothal is injected into his body. Then the executioner will inject pancuronium bromide, used to paralyze his muscles, and potassium chloride, used to stop his heart.

Schwab was the 10th person executed in the United States since the Supreme Court's Kentucky ruling and the 21st Florida inmate to die by lethal injection since the state changed its method of execution in 2000.

He became the 65th inmate to be executed since Florida resumed capital punishment in 1979, when the electric chair was in use.

Schwab received final visits Monday and Tuesday from his mother, Mary Killam of New Philadelphia, Ohio, and aunt, Shirley Muhs of Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Schwab's religious adviser, Perri Davis, a Baptist minister on staff with the prison system, was to stay outside his cell during his final hours.

Death of Junny
Schwab raped and killed Junny a month after he was released early from a prison sentence he served for raping a 13-year-old boy. The case prompted Florida's Junny Rios-Martinez Act of 1992, which prohibits sex offenders from early release from prison or getting credit for good behavior.

Schwab stalked Junny after seeing his photo in a newspaper for winning a kite contest.

Although Schwab claimed another man had made him kidnap and rape the boy, he was able to lead police to a footlocker in rural Brevard County where Junny's nude body was discovered. The trial judge rejected the arguments about another man and found that Schwab was responsible for the crime.