Mark Allen Geralds: Death row inmate’s final words spark confusion 36 years after brutal murder of mum

A death row inmate’s final words have sparked confusion before he was given a three-drug lethal injection, silencing him forever.

Mark Allen Geralds became the 18th person killed on death row in Florida this year after he spent 36 years behind bars over the murder of a mother.

The 58-year-old was convicted of killing Tressa Pettibone in her Panama City, Florida home. Tragically, Ms Pettibone’s then eight-year-old son discovered her body after he returned home from school the day she was murdered.

On Tuesday, Geralds was taken to a lethal injection room where Floridian authorities began the execution process at 6pm.

Geralds was asked for his last words, but when he started to speak he addressed someone inaudibly by name.

He then said: “I’m sorry that I missed you” before adding “I loved you every day”.

Authorities then administered the lethal injection into his bloodstream. Geralds took about 12 deep breaths before his body began to shake and twitch, while his mouth opened and closed, the Associated Press reported.

After several minutes he fell completely still and was declared dead at 6.15pm.

A representative of Ms Pettibone’s family read a statement after her killer died.

“Tomorrow, when we wake up, it will be the first time in nearly 37 years that we don’t have to worry about another appeal being filed or another law changing that could potentially thwart the justice we have been fighting so hard for for so long.”

Her family described her as a “a faithful wife, loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt and dedicated friend”, The Mirror reported.

She was known for loving Christmas, and went all out decorating her home with lights and trees.

Geralds had previously pursued appeals to his death sentence, but after Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant, he decided to forgo any avenue of appeal.

He had brutally attacked Ms Pettibone on February 1, 1989 and left her on the kitchen floor with fatal stab wounds.

While at a shopping centre about a week before the murder Geralds had seen Ms Pettibone with her two children. She told him her husband was away for work.

After this, Geralds spoke to Ms Pettibone’s son while at the video arcade and asked him when his father would be back. He also asked what time he and his sister left home for school and when they usually got back at the end of the day.

Court records show Geralds pawned jewellery with Ms Pettibone’s blood on it on the afternoon of the murder. Investigators also found plastic ties used to restrain her matched ties found in his car.

The 58-year-old was convicted of murder and armed robbery amongst other charges in 1990 and was sentenced to death.

A total of 45 men have died on death row this year, with several executions still scheduled before 2026.

Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, more than doubling its previous annual execution record of eight, which was set in 2014.

Frank Athen Walls, 58, is set to be executed in Florida on December 18 after he was convicted of killing two people. He also confessed to three other killings.