Murder of Carmen Gayheart
Carmen Gayheart | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carmen Gabriella Tortora September 2, 1970 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | April 27, 1994 (aged 23) Hamilton County, Florida, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Strangulation, Gunshot Wound |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens Lake City, Florida, US |
| Education | Lake City Community College |
| Known for | Victim of a kidnapping, rape, and murder case |
On April 27, 1994, 23-year-old Carmen Gayheart (September 2, 1970 – April 27, 1994), a nursing student and mother of two, was abducted in Lake City, Florida, United States, and subsequently raped and murdered in Hamilton County, Florida. Gayheart was enrolled at Lake City Community College at the time of her death.
The perpetrators, Anthony Floyd Wainwright (October 22, 1970 – June 10, 2025) and Richard Eugene Hamilton (February 16, 1963 – January 13, 2023), had escaped from a North Carolina prison just days prior to the crime. Following a multi-state investigation, both men were apprehended, tried, and convicted of first-degree murder. Both were sentenced to death.
Hamilton remained on Florida's death row until his death from natural causes on January 13, 2023. Wainwright, the surviving co-defendant, was executed on June 10, 2025.