Florida man set to be executed for 1986 grocery store murder in Palmetto

PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB) - A man convicted of killing a grocery store owner during a robbery is scheduled to become Florida’s second execution of 2026.

Melvin Trotter, 65, is set to die by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison. He was convicted of killing Virgie Langford, 70, the owner of Langford’s Grocery Store in Palmetto, in 1986.

Florida executes first person of 2026 after record year

According to court records, Trotter strangled and stabbed Langford. A truck driver found her alive after the attack, and she was able to describe her attacker before dying at the hospital.

Trotter was initially sentenced to death in 1987. Legal errors regarding aggravating circumstances led to a resentencing in 1993, which upheld the death penalty.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Trotter’s death warrant. DeSantis also signed off on a record 19 executions last year.