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

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Man Convicted of Rape and Murder Set to be Executed in Florida

A man convicted of raping and killing a woman near a central Florida bar is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke. Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, was found guilty in the May 1994 killing of Michelle McGrath.

Gudinas is set to receive a lethal injection, making him the seventh person to be put to death in Florida this year. An eighth execution is scheduled for next month. The state has already executed six individuals in 2025, with only one execution carried out last year.

With 23 executions in the US this year, 2025 is on track to have the highest number of executions since 2015. Florida leads the nation in executions this year, followed by Texas and South Carolina tied for second place with four each. Alabama, Oklahoma, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, and Tennessee have also carried out executions, with Mississippi set to have its first since 2022.

Details of the Crime and Conviction

McGrath was last seen at a bar called Barbarella’s before her body was discovered with signs of severe trauma and sexual assault in an alley near a school. Witnesses identified Gudinas as a man seen fleeing the area and threatening another woman the night of the incident. Gudinas was convicted and sentenced to death in 1995.

Legal Appeals and Controversy

Gudinas’ attorneys have filed appeals with both the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, citing evidence of lifelong mental illnesses as grounds to prevent his execution. The Florida Supreme Court recently denied the appeals, stating that protections for intellectually disabled individuals do not extend to those with other mental health issues.

Additionally, a federal filing argues that the Florida governor’s discretion in signing death warrants violates death row inmates’ constitutional rights, leading to an arbitrary process in determining who is executed. The US Supreme Court has not yet made a decision on this matter.