Donald David Dillbeck was born on May 24, 1963, in El Paso, Texas. He had a challenging early life. When he was six years old, his father left him and his alcoholic mother. This situation led to him being placed in several foster homes until he turned 15.

On April 11, 1979, Donald Dillbeck was in a stolen car at a closed park in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. A deputy sheriff, Dwight Lynn Hall, responded to a complaint about a suspicious person. Dillbeck ran from the car, prompting Hall to chase him. During their struggle, Dillbeck managed to get Hall's gun and shot him, resulting in Hall's death. Dillbeck was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment on June 6, 1979.

On February 7, 1983, Dillbeck escaped from prison but was recaptured soon after. He received an additional sentence of one year and one day for the escape. Dillbeck was later transferred to a lower-security facility, where he faced disciplinary issues, including attempted assault in 1984 and possession of intoxicants in 1985.

On June 22, 1990, while working with other inmates at a catering event, Dillbeck walked away from the group. He eventually ended up in Tallahassee, where he stole a paring knife. On June 24, Dillbeck approached a woman named Robbie Faye Vann in a parking lot outside the Tallahassee Mall. He attempted to carjack her vehicle, and when she resisted, he stabbed her multiple times, resulting in her death. Dillbeck fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by a mall security guard and arrested nearby.

Dillbeck was convicted on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and armed burglary. On March 15, 1991, he was sentenced to death. During his sentencing, he expressed remorse and asked for a life sentence for the sake of his parents. He was sent to death row at Florida State Prison.

On January 23, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Dillbeck's death warrant, setting the date for his execution. On February 23, 2023, Dillbeck was executed by lethal injection. He was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. EST. Before he died, Dillbeck made a statement targeting Governor DeSantis.