Man Convicted of Abducting, Raping and Killing a Young Woman in 1994 Set to Be Executed in Florida

More than three decades after a brutal crime that shocked Florida and beyond, Anthony Floyd Wainwright was executed by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison for the 1994 abduction, rape, and murder of 23-year-old Carmen Gayheart, a young mother and nursing student.

Wainwright, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m., according to the Florida Department of Corrections. The execution marks the sixth in the state this year and brings an end to a legal saga that lasted over 30 years.

On April 27, 1994, Carmen Gayheart had just finished shopping at a Winn-Dixie grocery store in Lake City, Florida, when she was abducted at gunpoint by Wainwright and his accomplice, Richard Eugene Hamilton. The two men, who had escaped from a North Carolina prison just days earlier, forced Gayheart into her Ford Bronco while she was loading groceries and drove her to a secluded area.

Over the next several hours, Wainwright and Hamilton took turns raping Gayheart in the vehicle. They attempted to strangle her and eventually shot her twice in the head. Her body was found shortly afterward, dumped near a forested roadside, partially clothed and showing signs of struggle.

Gayheart, a former Fort Lauderdale resident, was studying nursing at Lake City Community College. She left behind two young children and a grieving family.

“She was kind, strong, and loved her kids more than anything,” said her sister, Maria David, who witnessed the execution. “He took all of that from us. This is finally some justice.”

Following the murder, Wainwright and Hamilton fled the state. Authorities caught up with them the next day in Mississippi after a gunfight. They were quickly arrested and extradited back to Florida, where they were charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, and sexual battery.

In 1995, Wainwright was convicted and sentenced to death by a unanimous jury recommendation. Hamilton received the same sentence but died of natural causes on death row in January 2023.

Over the course of three decades, Wainwright’s attorneys launched numerous appeals, challenging everything from the legality of the jury instructions to the conduct of prosecutors and the reliability of DNA evidence.

One key argument centered on Wainwright’s upbringing. His lawyers claimed that his cognitive development was stunted due to fetal exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide his father encountered during military service in Vietnam. Courts acknowledged the argument but ruled that it did not merit relief or a resentencing.

Other appeals cited alleged prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective counsel, and claims that Wainwright’s rights were violated when the state refused to let him be represented by a new legal team in the final stages of his case. On the morning of the execution, the U.S. Supreme Court declined a last-minute request to stay the sentence.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Wainwright’s death warrant in May 2025, stating that “justice delayed for the families of murder victims is justice denied.”

Wainwright declined to make a final statement before his execution. He also declined a special last meal, opting instead for the prison’s standard food offerings.

In the viewing room, members of Carmen Gayheart’s family wore shirts that read “Justice for Carmen.” Maria David, visibly emotional after witnessing Wainwright’s final moments, said she finally felt relief.

“It’s like something heavy was lifted,” she said. “We’ve waited 31 years for this. I don’t feel joy, just peace.”

Wainwright’s execution is part of a renewed emphasis on capital punishment in Florida. So far in 2025, the state has carried out six executions, with more scheduled. Nationwide, over 20 executions have taken place this year — the highest rate in recent years.

The case reignites long-standing debates about the death penalty, especially regarding its costs, moral implications, and whether justice is truly served decades after a crime.

Critics argue that protracted appeals place immense emotional strain on victims’ families and consume taxpayer resources, while proponents maintain that it serves as both justice and deterrence.

“There is nothing that can bring Carmen back,” said Maria David. “But at least now, we don’t have to keep hearing his name. This chapter is closed.”

Carmen Gayheart was remembered as a dedicated student, a loving mother of two, and someone who “had dreams that were stolen,” said her family. Her legacy continues through her children and those touched by her story of courage and injustice.