In a rare and emotional day, two death row inmates — Anthony Wainwright in Florida and Gregory Hunt in Alabama — were executed just hours apart on the same evening. This back-to-back execution shocked many across the country and sparked new discussions about the death penalty in America.
Who Were the Men and What Were Their Crimes?
Anthony Wainwright – Florida
Anthony Wainwright, 49, was executed in Florida for the 1994 murder of a young mother, Dawn Venezia. He was convicted of carjacking, raping, and killing her during a robbery. Prosecutors said he stole her car at gunpoint, forced her to drive to a wooded area, and then brutally attacked her. Wainwright had previously escaped from a prison in Mississippi just before the crime.
After years of appeals and legal delays, Florida finally carried out the execution by lethal injection at 6:00 p.m. local time.
Gregory Hunt – Alabama
Just a few hours later, at 6:30 p.m. Alabama time, Gregory Hunt, 65, was put to death by lethal injection in a separate execution. Hunt was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, Jacqueline Denise Harrell, in 1997. According to court records, he shot her six times in front of her children after a history of domestic abuse.
His execution followed years of legal battles, including claims about his mental health and the fairness of his trial.
Public Reactions and National Debate
These two executions on the same day immediately reignited the national conversation on capital punishment. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and the ACLU, called the day “a dark reminder that the U.S. still uses death as punishment in a modern world.”
Some people supported the executions, believing that justice was finally served after decades. Others, however, raised ethical concerns about the death penalty — especially given the long wait times on death row and potential risks of wrongful convictions.
States Defend Their Actions
Officials from both Florida and Alabama defended the executions, saying that all legal options had been exhausted and the sentences were fair based on the crimes committed.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the justice system had “followed the rule of law to the end,” while Alabama’s Department of Corrections stated that Hunt’s execution brought “closure to the victim’s family.”
Final Moments
Reports say both men declined special last meals. Wainwright’s final words were reported as an apology to the victim’s family, while Hunt reportedly prayed with a spiritual advisor just minutes before his death.