Florida set to execute man convicted of raping and killing a woman outside of a bar
Share and Follow


STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of raping and killing a woman near a central Florida bar is scheduled to be executed Tuesday.

Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, barring a last-day reprieve. He was convicted in the May 1994 killing of Michelle McGrath.

Gudinas would be the seventh person put to death in Florida this year, with an eighth scheduled for next month. The state also executed six people in 2023, but only carried out one execution last year.

A total of 23 men have been executed in the U.S. this year, with scheduled executions set to make 2025 the year with the most executions since 2015.

Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second place with four each. Alabama has executed three people, Oklahoma has killed two, and Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana and Tennessee each have one. Mississippi is set to join the other states on Wednesday with its first execution since 2022.

McGrath was last seen at a bar called Barbarella’s shortly before 3 a.m. on May 24, 1994. Her body was found with evidence of serious trauma and sexual assault in an alley next to a nearby school several hours later.

Gudinas had been at the same bar with friends the night before, but they all later testified that they had left without him. A school employee who found McGrath’s body later identified Gudinas as a man who was fleeing the area shortly beforehand. Another woman also identified Gudinas as the person who chased her to her car the previous night and threatened to assault her.

Gudinas was convicted and sentenced to death in 1995.

Attorneys for Gudinas have filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lawyers argue in their state filing that evidence related to “lifelong mental illnesses” exempts Gudinas from being put to death. The Florida Supreme Court denied the appeals last week, ruling that the case law that shields intellectually disabled people from execution does not apply to individuals with other forms of mental illness or brain damage.

Meanwhile, a federal filing argues that the Florida governor’s unfettered discretion to sign death warrants violates death row inmates’ constitutional rights to due process and has led to an arbitrary process for determining who lives and who dies. The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet released its decision.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Body found during search for missing Texas teen Camila Mendoza Olmos as another teen girl disappears

Remains Discovered Amid Search for Missing Texas Teen Camila Mendoza Olmos; New Case Emerges with Another Teen’s Disappearance

On Tuesday evening, a body was discovered in Bexar County, Texas, as…
Stephen Colbert's reason to 'slip into the body' of Donald Trump

Stephen Colbert Reveals the Surprising Motivation Behind His Donald Trump Impersonation

Stephen Colbert, known for his sharp wit and ongoing sparring with President…
Mother of TV news anchor, 30, reveals way she found out daughter died

Mother of 30-Year-Old TV News Anchor Shares Heartbreaking Discovery of Her Daughter’s Passing

The heart-wrenching tragedy involving a Louisiana sports reporter, Carley McCord, has left…
New body camera video from Cook County Sheriff's Office shows missing Merrionette Park 115 Bourbon Street worker Dan Davis

Newly Released Body Cam Footage Sheds Light on Missing 115 Bourbon Street Employee Dan Davis in Merrionette Park

In Merrionette Park, Illinois, a fresh piece of evidence has emerged in…
Things to do on New Year's Eve: Chicago-area residents prepare to celebrate end of 2025 with big events, parties, at home

Unforgettable New Year’s Eve 2025: Chicago’s Top Events, Parties, and Home Celebrations

CHICAGO – As the year draws to a close, people across the…
3 hikers, including 19-year-old, found dead on Southern California's Mount Baldy, sheriff's department says

Tragic Discovery: Three Hikers, Including Teen, Found Deceased on Mount Baldy in Southern California

A tragic incident unfolded in the Mount Baldy region of Southern California,…
Kentucky freight train carrying molten sulfur derails, leaks hazardous chemical in Todd County

Urgent Alert: Kentucky Train Derailment Unleashes Hazardous Molten Sulfur in Todd County

In a significant rail incident early Tuesday, over 30 freight train cars…
Anthony Joshua's mum rushes to bedside at 'Nigeria's best hospital'

Anthony Joshua’s Mother Visits Him at Renowned Nigerian Hospital

Anthony Joshua’s mother has hurried to his side at a premier Nigerian…