Darryl Barwick Executed in Florida for woman’s 1986 Stabbing Death

Darryl Barwick, age 56 Prison officials claim that a Florida prisoner who was due to die by lethal injection on Wednesday night had a final meal of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and ice cream.

At Florida State Prison in Starke, Darryl Barwick will be put to death shortly after 6 o’clock. His farewell supper included black-eyed peas with rice, cornbread, and coke, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

The food used to prepare a farewell supper must cost no more than $40 and be purchased locally in order to “avoid extravagance,” according to Florida Department of Corrections guidelines. The US Supreme Court turned down Barwick’s appeal for a stay of execution earlier on Wednesday.

Around 4:15 a.m. on the morning of his execution, Barwick awoke. The department reported that although he had just spoken on the phone with his family, he had not yet met any of them and had only spoken with a spiritual counselor. It wasn’t expected that family members would show up for the execution.

On March 31, 1986, Barwick killed Rebecca Wendt, 24, just three months after his release from prison for a rape committed at knifepoint. He followed Wendt into her Panama City apartment after watching her sunbathe and then stabbed her 37 times.

He said he only intended to rob the woman, but when she refused, he killed her to keep from being sent back to jail. Authorities used sperm, footprints, and a witness statement to further connect Barwick to the murder after he admitted to it.

A nearby medical examiner concluded that Wendy was not the victim of sexual assault. He was ultimately determined to have committed first-degree murder, armed robbery, attempted sexual battery, and burglary. The execution of Barwick will be Florida’s third since the year’s beginning.