Overview

• Michael Tanzi was executed at Florida State Prison for the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of Janet Acosta in April 2000.
• Tanzi confessed to Acosta's murder and an earlier killing of Caroline Holder in Massachusetts, though he was never charged for the latter crime.
• The execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute appeal and Florida courts dismissed claims of potential cruelty due to Tanzi's morbid obesity.
• Tanzi's death marked Florida's third execution of 2025 and the 11th in the United States this year, reflecting ongoing use of the death penalty under Gov. Ron DeSantis.
• Acosta's family expressed relief at the execution, describing it as long-awaited justice for the beloved Miami Herald employee.