In Starke, Florida, Thomas Lee Gudinas was executed Tuesday evening after being convicted for the rape and murder of Michelle McGrath near a central Florida bar in 1994. He was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. following a lethal injection at the Florida State Prison.
At 6:00 p.m., when the curtain to the execution room opened, Gudinas was already restrained on a gurney with an intravenous line in his left arm. After the warden concluded a call with the governor’s office, he offered Gudinas the chance to speak. Although Gudinas’ words were inaudible to witnesses, a state representative stated that he expressed remorse and mentioned religious faith.
As the drugs began their course, Gudinas experienced slight convulsions, followed by a change in facial color before becoming still. Witnesses were then led from the area post-announcement of the sentence’s fulfillment. This marks Florida’s seventh execution this year, with another scheduled soon. Across the United States, 24 men have been executed this year.
Florida has led in executions this year, with Texas and South Carolina falling behind with four each. Alabama, Oklahoma, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, and Tennessee follow with varied numbers. Mississippi is expected to conduct its first execution since 2022.
Ted Veerman from the Department of Corrections reported no operational pressure despite the increased execution rate, commending staff professionalism.
Michelle McGrath’s body was found after she was last seen near Barbarella’s bar shortly before 3 a.m. on May 24, 1994. Evidence indicated severe trauma and sexual assault, and a school employee recalled seeing Gudinas leaving the scene. During the trial, friends attested to Gudinas being at the bar but not leaving with them, while another woman described a threatening encounter with him the previous night.
Gudinas’ appeals to the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts were unsuccessful. His defense argued against the death penalty, citing mental illness, but the Florida Supreme Court ruled it non-exempt from execution. The U.S. Supreme Court also dismissed claims against the governor’s discretion on death warrants.
On the day of his execution, Gudinas had a visit from his mother and chose not to meet with a spiritual adviser.