Florida woman who survived parents’ murders as toddler reveals ‘missing piece’ after killer’s execution

After nearly three decades, justice was finally served in the tragic case of Greg and Kimberly Malnory, a young Florida couple who were brutally murdered in front of their toddler during a family fishing trip. On February 13, 2024, their killer, 64-year-old James D. Ford, was executed via lethal injection at Florida State Prison, marking the state’s first execution of the year. Ford had been convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, sexual battery with a firearm, and child abuse, and he was sentenced to death in 1999. The execution brought a measure of peace for the Malnory family and their loved ones, though it could never undo the pain and loss caused by the horrific crime.

The Malnorys were newlyweds who had their lives torn apart in the spring of 1997. On a sunny Sunday morning, Greg, 25, and Kimberly, 26, set out on a fishing trip to the South Florida Sod Farm, where Greg worked. Their 22-month-old daughter, Maranda, was with them, strapped into her car seat in the family pickup truck. The next day, April 7, 1997, their bodies were discovered in a remote 7,000-acre field on the farm. Greg had been shot in the head, bludgeoned, and had his throat slit, while Kimberly was sexually assaulted, brutally beaten, and shot dead. Maranda, miraculously, survived the attack, found alive in her car seat, covered in her mother’s blood, with the truck doors wide open. Authorities later estimated that she had been left there for over 18 hours. Maranda’s survival was nothing short of a miracle, a testament to the divine intervention her family often speaks of.

Now 29 years old, Maranda Malnory has shared her heartfelt story of growing up without her parents and the profound impact of their murders on her life. She has no memory of the attack itself, but the scars of that day run deep. Raised by her grandparents, Maranda was shielded from the graphic details of her parents’ deaths until she took it upon herself to uncover the truth as a teenager. Around the anniversary of their murders, when she was just 13, Maranda turned to the internet to piece together the harrowing events. “I broke down,” she said, describing the moment she learned about the brutality of the attack. “I came from two fighters. My mom put up a fight, and so did my dad.” The discovery of her parents’ courage in their final moments has shaped her understanding of who they were and the love they had for her.

The investigation into the murders revealed the shocking extent of Ford’s cruelty and the tragic circumstances of the crime. Ford, who had been a co-worker of Greg’s at the sod farm, had invited himself on the family outing that day. Witnesses reported seeing Ford with the Malnorys near the crime scene and later that evening in a “distracted state” with blood on his face, hands, and clothes. The day after the murders, Ford was seen with scratches on his body. DNA evidence later linked Ford to the crime: Greg’s DNA was found on a knife in Ford’s bedroom, Kimberly’s DNA was discovered in Ford’s truck, and Ford’s DNA was found on Kimberly’s body and clothing. The evidence was overwhelming, and Ford was convicted in 1999.

Reflecting on the execution, Maranda shared that while it brought her a sense of peace, it was not closure. “I feel like I missed out on a lot of love—that love from my mom and dad,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. She explained that the execution was a reminder that Ford could never harm anyone else and that she could finally feel safer. Maranda has carried the weight of her parents’ loss her entire life, mourning not only the people they were but also the future they might have had. She keeps a photo of her parents holding her as a baby on her desk, a reminder of the love they shared and the life that was stolen from them. “You mourn the people that they were,” she said. “I mourn what could have been.”

Despite the trauma she endured, Maranda has grown into a strong, resilient woman, driven by a desire to honor her parents’ memory. She works in special education, dedicating her life to helping children and giving back to her community. “I can do my part because of things that were done for me,” she said, expressing gratitude for the support she has received over the years. The execution of James D. Ford has brought her some peace, but Maranda’s journey is far from over. She continues to fight every day, proving that the hatred and violence that took her parents’ lives will not define her. “I fight every day to show him that he doesn’t get to win,” she said. For Maranda, her parents will always be her heroes, and their love will always be a guiding force in her life.