Death Row Inmate Gets Excecuted After 30 Years

© Florida Department of Corrections
On June 24, death row inmate Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke, ending a long legal saga that began with his 1995 conviction for the 1994 rape and murder of 27‑year‑old Michelle McGrath near an Orlando bar.
He became the seventh person executed in Florida this year—and the 24th nationwide, marking the busiest year for U.S. capital punishment since 2015.
Final Words and Last Meal for the Death Row Inmate
Guard-drawn curtains revealed Gudinas strapped to a gurney at 6:00 p.m. A brief, inaudible final statement of repentance and reference to Jesus was noted by Governor DeSantis’s office spokesperson. Witnesses observed eye-rolling and chest contractions once the drugs were administered. He was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m., having eaten pizza, fries, and soda as his final meal.

Legal Appeals and Mental Health Debate
Gudinas’s defense raised concerns over his lifelong mental illness, with appeals to both Florida’s Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court arguing these conditions exempted him from execution. However, courts rejected the arguments, citing precedent that mental illness falls outside the protections afforded to those with intellectual disabilities. His federal due-process appeal concerning the governor’s discretion on death warrants was also denied.
Victim’s Legacy and Family Reaction to the Death Row Inmate
Michelle McGrath was last seen leaving Barbarella’s nightspot in Orlando before her body was discovered hours later in an alley near a school, showing signs of severe trauma and sexual violence. At sentencing, her father lamented the “tragic waste” of both lives. It remains unclear if McGrath’s family attended the execution .
Florida Leads U.S. in Executions This Year
With Gudinas’s death, Florida now tops all U.S. states with seven executions in 2025. Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee, and soon Mississippi also carry out capital sentences. The Florida Department of Corrections confirmed operations have handled the ramp-up smoothly, without major strain.

Ongoing National Debate on Capital Punishment
The surge in executions—driven partly by new scheduling freedoms in Florida—has reignited discussion on the death penalty. Critics point to mental health claims and the disproportionate use of solitary gubernatorial authority as concerning. Supporters argue the punishment fits for heinous crimes like Gudinas’s.
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