DeSantis signs death warrant for anti-gay murderer

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has just signed his second death warrant since taking office this past January, and could be on pace to surpass Gov. Rick Scott's record 23 signed death warrants in 8 years as governor of Florida.

DeSantis’ press office sent out the formal letter signing off on Gary Ray Bowles’ execution that has been set for August 22, 2019 at 6pm

In addition to being sentenced to death for the 1994 murder of Walter Hinton, Bowles also confessed to killing five other men in, Georgia, Maryland, and Florida, just because they were gay.

“In November 1994, Bowles met Walter Hinton at Jacksonville Beach. Bowles agreed to help Hinton move some personal items from Georgia to his mobile home in Jacksonville. In exchange, Hinton allowed Bowles to live with him. While Hinton slept, Bowles dropped a concrete block on Hinton’s head, causing a fracture from Hinton’s right cheek to his jaw. After Hinton awoke, Bowles strangled him to death. Bowles then stuffed toilet paper into Hinton’s throat and a rag into his mouth.

After police arrested Bowles, he confessed to murdering Hinton. Bowles also admitted to killing five other men across Florida, Georgia and Maryland. Evidence gathered by police suggested Bowles professed hatred of homosexuals and targeted homosexual men. Bowles eventually pled guilty to three homicides, and he received a sentence of death for murdering Hinton. He has been litigating the sentence for twenty-five years.

The execution date has been set for Thursday, August 22, 2019, at 6 p.m. Attached is the transmittal letter and death warrant for Gary Ray Bowles.”- Helen Aguirre Ferré, Communication Director