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Florida executes Thomas Gudinas for 1994 Orlando murder

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Published  June 24, 2025 9:58pm EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Thomas Gudinas was executed Tuesday for the 1994 killing of Michelle McGrath, marking Florida’s seventh execution this year.
    • His attorneys argued he was severely mentally ill and challenged the governor’s discretion, but appeals were denied.
    • Florida is on pace to tie or break its modern record for executions in a single year.

STARKE, Fla. - Thomas Gudinas was executed Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison for the 1994 rape and murder of a woman in downtown Orlando, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal.

What we know:

Thomas Gudinas, 51, was executed by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison for the 1994 murder of Michelle McGrath in downtown Orlando. 

McGrath was sexually assaulted and died from blunt force trauma, believed to be inflicted by a "stomping type blow" to the head. Gudinas was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m., becoming the seventh Florida inmate executed in 2025.

Witnesses, including reporters and corrections officials, watched as Gudinas gave an inaudible final statement and showed brief movement before becoming still. He woke early Tuesday and had a last meal of pepperoni pizza, french fries, and soda. His mother visited him before the execution.

What we don't know:

Attorneys for Gudinas argued the governor exercised "unbridled discretion" and pushed for access to records detailing how and why Gudinas was selected for execution, but those efforts were unsuccessful. The U.S. Supreme Court, as is customary, gave no explanation for its denial of the final appeal.

The backstory:

In May 1994, Michelle McGrath was leaving a nightclub in Orlando when Gudinas attacked and murdered her. Her body was discovered the next morning in an alley. Gudinas was later convicted and sentenced to death. For decades, his legal team has fought to delay execution, most recently arguing that he suffered from severe mental illness—an argument rejected by the Florida Supreme Court.

Big picture view:

Florida is on pace to carry out a record number of executions in 2025. Gudinas is the seventh inmate executed this year. Another, Michael Bernard Bell, is scheduled for execution on July 15. If carried out, Bell’s case would tie Florida’s modern record of eight executions in a single year, matching 1984 and 2014. After three execution-free years during the pandemic, the state has sharply increased its use of capital punishment under Gov. DeSantis’ administration.

What's next:

With another execution scheduled for July 15, Florida could match its modern-era record of eight executions in a single year, last reached in 1984 and 2014.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by The News Service of Florida, the Florida State Prison and the Florida Department of Corrections.

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