News Summary
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for Thomas Gudinas, set for lethal injection on June 24. Gudinas, convicted for the brutal murder of Michelle McGrath in 1994, adds to Florida’s rising execution numbers, with five already in 2025. The case has reignited discussions on the state’s death penalty practices and transparency in the legal process, reflecting significant shifts in execution trends over the years.
Orlando, Florida – Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for Thomas Gudinas, who is scheduled for execution by lethal injection on June 24, 2025. This marks the potential seventh execution in Florida for the year, adding to the five executions already carried out in 2025.
Thomas Gudinas, aged 51, was convicted for the brutal murder of Michelle McGrath in 1994. McGrath was last seen alive around 2:45 a.m. on May 21, 1994, outside Barbarella’s nightclub located in downtown Orlando. Her lifeless body was discovered a few hours later, around 7:30 a.m., in an alley nearby, exhibiting severe trauma and signs of sexual assault. A sentencing order indicated that she was “savagely raped and severely beaten with a blunt instrument.” The court findings concluded that McGrath did not experience a “swift, merciful and painless death.”
Gudinas was sentenced to death in June 1995 after his trial was relocated to Collier County. This upcoming execution follows a string of executions in Florida, which has seen five people put to death so far this year: James Ford on February 13, Edward James on March 20, Michael Tanzi on April 8, Jeffrey Hutchinson on May 1, and Glen Rogers on May 15. An additional execution is scheduled for June 10, 2025, involving Anthony Wainwright, who was convicted of kidnapping, raping, and murdering Carmen Gayheart in 1994. Wainwright’s execution is currently being contested by his legal team.
The frequency of executions in Florida has fluctuated over recent years. In 2023, six executions took place, while only one was conducted in 2024. The highest annual tally of executions since the death penalty was reinstated occurred in 1984 and again in 2014, each recording eight executions. The current pace in 2025 suggests a significant increase compared to the previous years, as the state has already executed more inmates than it did in the entirety of both the last two years.
Governor DeSantis has been issuing death warrants throughout the year without public commentary, continuing a trend established with previous warrants. This practice has stirred discussions regarding the transparency of the executions and the nuances of the legal process surrounding death row inmates.
As Florida prepares for Gudinas’ execution, discussions around the state’s death penalty practices continue to grow. The legal and ethical implications of capital punishment remain vital issues for many advocacy groups and concerned citizens, particularly in the light of recent executions and upcoming trials.
The upcoming execution serves to remind the public about the ongoing complexities and controversies surrounding the death penalty in Florida, particularly given the grisly nature of Gudinas’s crime and the historical context of capital punishment in the state.
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HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- CBS News
- NBC Miami
- ABC News
- Wikipedia: Death penalty in the United States
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Capital punishment
