Two men were executed in two different states on Tuesday evening, bringing a final, grim chapter to a close for crimes committed decades ago. In Florida, Anthony Wainwright was put to death for the 1994 rape and murder of a young mother. Shortly after, Alabama executed Gregory Hunt for the brutal 1988 slaying of his ex-girlfriend.
Florida Executes Anthony Wainwright for Abduction and Murder
Anthony Wainwright, 54, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 23-year-old Carmen Gayheart. The execution took place nearly 30 years after Gayheart, a mother of two, was abducted from a supermarket parking lot in Lake City.
The execution commenced at 6:10 p.m., and Wainwright was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. His final words were inaudible to witnesses.
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The sentence was carried out just one day after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Wainwright’s final appeal without comment. His lawyers had argued for a stay, alleging his trial was “marred by critical, systemic failures,” including the suppression of evidence by the state.
For Gayheart’s family, the execution marked the end of a painful, prolonged wait for justice. Her sister, who was present, spoke of the repeated trauma of the appeals process.
“It’s ridiculous how many appeals they get,” she told The Associated Press. “You have to relive it again because they have to tell the whole story again.” She added, “She was here, she mattered, she should be remembered, and she was loved.”
A Florida jury had unanimously recommended the death penalty in 1995 after convicting Wainwright for the brutal crime.
Alabama Executes Gregory Hunt Using Nitrogen Gas
On the same evening, the state of Alabama executed Gregory Hunt, 65, for the 1988 murder of 32-year-old Karen Sanders Lane. Hunt was put to death by inhaling pure nitrogen gas, a controversial method used for only the second time in the United States.
The execution began shortly before 6:00 p.m. at William C. Holman Correctional Facility. Witnesses observed Hunt’s body shaking on the gurney before he was declared dead.
“Tonight, the state carried out the lawfully imposed punishment for Gregory Hunt who is undeniably guilty,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in a statement. “We pray her loved ones can finally find peace and closure.”
The execution was not without controversy. Hunt’s lawyers from the Federal Defenders of the Middle District of Alabama claimed they were improperly barred from the witness room despite filing the correct paperwork.
Hunt was convicted for the savage beating death of Lane, with whom he had been in a brief relationship. Evidence of his guilt was described by an appellate court as “overwhelming.” Lane’s family was present and released a statement saying, “This night is not about the life of Greg Hunt. This night is about the horrific death of Karen Sanders Lane, whose life was savagely taken from her.”
The dual executions on Tuesday highlight a rare occurrence in the United States and mark the sixth execution in Florida and at least the second in Alabama this year.
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