Disclaimer: The story contains descriptions of crimes that some readers might find distressing. Please proceed with caution.
Anthony Wainwright was finally executed by a lethal injection on Tuesday after spending decades on death row. The convict was found guilty of raping and murdering a young mother along with an accomplice. Wainwright’s last words were reported to be a quote from a famous movie.
Anthony Wainwright and Richard Hamilton were both found guilty of kidnapping Carmen Gayheart. The two had escaped from prison in 1994 when they ran into Gayheart, who was 23 at the time and a mother of a five-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son.
Wainwright was sentenced to 1o years in prison for breaking and entering, and Hamilton was sentenced to 25 years for armed robbery. The two broke out of prison to steal a Cadillac, money, and guns from a home. Three days into their journey towards Florida, the car broke down, which led the duo to search for another car.
This was when they ran into Carmen, who was on her way to pick up her children from daycare. The mother of two was abducted by the men, who then took her to a wooded area. Carmen was raped by the men and found dead on a dirt road in Hamilton County. Wainwright and Hamilton used a bolt-action rifle to shoot the 23-year-old in the back of her head, according to police reports.
Hamilton died in prison in 2023 while he was on death row. Wainwright was executed on Tuesday at 6 pm by a lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6.22 pm. During his final moments, the killer thanked his wife, Samantha, for standing by her throughout the legal battles.
“My beautiful wife, Samantha, you are the love of my life. I’m so blessed we found each other. The years we have spent together have been beyond wonderful,” he said, according to a Daily Mail report. He went on to note how “magical” the love they shared has been, while noting that it is “stronger than death.”
Anthony Wainwright’s last words, shared with FADP by his spiritual advisor Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood. pic.twitter.com/VLECjC1nfA
— FADP (@FADPorg) June 10, 2025
The murderer also went on to quote a dialogue from the 1987 movie The Princess Bride. Cary Elwes’ character, Westley, says the words to Robin Wright’s character, Buttercup, in the famous movie. “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while,” Wainwright told his wife.
Lastly, he addressed the family of his victim in his final moments. Wainwright said he hoped that his death would bring Carmen’s family “peace and healing.” He then went on to blame the American judicial system, calling it “broken.”
“Please continue the fight. Because I can promise you they are not going to let up,” he urged to no one in particular. The murderer then went on to claim, “They will continue to murder if we continue to let it happen.”
Maria David, who was Carmen’s older sister, was present when her killer was executed. David reflected on how scared her sister must have been in her final moments. She said her only hope was that Wainwright feel the same fear her sister did in her final moments.
Anthony Wainwright was executed at 6:22pm for the death of Carmen Gayheart in 1994. He’s the 6th death row inmate to be executed in the state this year. @WCJB20 pic.twitter.com/H5etYf5gxg
— Robert Bradfield (@RobertBReports) June 10, 2025
“She died in a horrific way… it kills me what they did to my baby sister,” Maria told the Daily Mail. She then expressed how glad she is to know that this will be the last time she has to see and hear of her sister’s killer.
According to a report by Associated Press, Wainwright was given the lethal injection around 6:10 pm. He took multiple deep breaths and went still at 6:14 pm. A spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis shared that Anthony Wainwright was pronounced dead at 6:22 pm.
