James Barnes, 61, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, for the 1990 murder of Patricia "Patsy" Miller. Barnes broke into Miller's Melbourne home, beat her, and set her on fire. She died from her injuries 11 days later.
Barnes was convicted in 2007 after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene. He had been serving a life sentence for another murder when he confessed to Miller's killing. His execution was the second carried out in Florida this year.
In final statements, Barnes expressed remorse and apologized to Miller's family. The execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute appeal. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Barnes's death warrant in March 2026.
Patricia Miller was a 41-year-old clothing store manager. Her family witnessed the execution and stated they had waited decades for justice. Barnes also confessed to several other unsolved murders, which authorities investigated.
