A Florida death row inmate convicted of abducting and murdering a woman more than 40 years ago is set to be executed Tuesday evening.
Kayle Bates, 67, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant earlier this year. The execution would be Florida’s 10th in 2025, extending the state’s record for the most executions carried out in a single year.
Bates was convicted of the 1982 abduction and killing of Janet White in Bay County. According to court records, he forced White from her insurance office, took her into nearby woods, attempted to rape her, fatally stabbed her, and stole a diamond ring from her hand.
He was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted sexual battery.
Appeals and Legal Challenges
Bates’ attorneys have filed multiple appeals, including claims that evidence of organic brain damage was not fully considered during sentencing. They also pursued a federal lawsuit alleging discrimination in Gov. DeSantis’ death warrant process. That case was dismissed last week, with the judge ruling that statistical analysis presented by the defense was flawed and insufficient to prove discrimination.
On the same day, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Bates’ latest appeals, saying he had decades to raise those issues. A final appeal remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Florida’s Execution Record in 2025
If carried out, Bates’ execution will be the 28th in the U.S. this year and the 10th in Florida, which leads the nation in executions in 2025. The state has already surpassed its previous annual high of eight executions in 2014.
Florida has at least two more executions scheduled:
- Curtis Windom, 59, set for August 28, convicted of killing three people in Orlando in 1992.
- David Pittman, 63, scheduled for September 17, convicted of murdering three relatives in Polk County in 1990.
Florida uses a three-drug lethal injection protocol consisting of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart.
If the execution proceeds as planned, Bates will be the 10th person put to death by the state in 2025, with more executions expected in the coming months.
