Thomas Lee Gudinas, a death row inmate convicted of a brutal crime that shocked Orlando in the 1990s, was executed on Tuesday evening (June 24) at Florida State Prison. He was 51 years old.
Gudinas was sentenced to death in 1995 for the rape and murder of 27-year-old Michelle McGrath, a crime that took place more than three decades ago but left a lasting impact on McGrath’s loved ones and the wider community.
McGrath was last seen in the early hours of May 24, 1994, after a night out with a friend at Barbarella’s, a nightclub in downtown Orlando. Gudinas had also been at the same venue earlier that evening with a group of friends.
Just hours later, McGrath’s body was discovered by a school employee in an alley nearby, Associated Press detailed. The employee later reported seeing a man, later identified as Gudinas, fleeing the scene moments before the grim discovery.
An autopsy revealed that McGrath had been sexually assaulted and had suffered multiple injuries. Authorities believe she was attacked while walking to her car after leaving the bar.
Gudinas was arrested shortly after and convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery. He has been on Florida’s death row ever since.
His execution was carried out via lethal injection. Witnesses reported that as the drugs entered his system, Gudinas’ eyes rolled back and he exhibited some physical reactions, including chest convulsions, before lying still. He was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. local time.
According to The Independent, Gudinas’ final words were inaudible to witnesses, but a spokesperson for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Bryan Griffin, said the inmate expressed remorse and referenced Jesus in his last moments. Gudinas declined to meet with a spiritual advisor before his execution. Officials confirmed that his only visitor in the final hours was his mother.
His last meal consisted of pizza, French fries, and soda.
It remains unclear whether McGrath’s family was present for the execution. At the time of Gudinas’ sentencing in 1995, McGrath’s father, Douglas McGrath, expressed deep grief over the loss of his daughter. “It seems like a tragic waste of his life and my daughter’s life,” he said. “We are deprived of my daughter… forever.”
Gudinas was the seventh person executed in Florida in 2025, making the state the most active in carrying out capital punishment this year, Metro detailed. In total, 24 executions have taken place across the United States so far.
Following the execution, Florida Department of Corrections spokesman Ted Veerman acknowledged the increased pace of executions in the state. “Our staff are doing a fantastic job keeping up with the pace of these executions,” he said. “And we are going through with these in a professional manner.”
READ MORE
- Woman trapped in active volcano for 3 days sparks massive rescue mission
- Woman burned in volcano tragedy reveals how she looks five years on
