Aileen Wuornos: What We Know

Video · 3:31 · Watch on YouTube

Why did Florida stop Aileen Wuornos's execution for two days, and how many of her six death sentences came from a jury?

Aileen Wuornos was sentenced to death six times in Florida for the 1989-1990 killings of Richard Mallory, David Spears, Charles Carskaddon, Troy Burress, Charles "Dick" Humphreys and Walter Antonio. Only one case, Mallory's, went to a jury: convicted Jan. 27, 1992, death recommended 12-0, affirmed by the Florida Supreme Court on Sept. 22, 1994 (Wuornos v. State, No. 79,484). She pleaded no contest (three cases) or guilty (two cases) in the other five. At trial she said she acted in self-defense. In 2001 she asked to drop her appeals. On Sept. 30, 2002 the governor stayed her execution for a competency evaluation; the stay was lifted Oct. 2 and she was executed Oct. 9, 2002. Netflix's "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story" (Sept. 17, 2026) dramatizes her; this is the record.

What's confirmed

1. Six death sentences, one jury verdict, five pleas. (Florida Commission on Capital Cases record, DC# 150924; CNN, Oct. 9, 2002; AP via CBS News)
2. The victims: Richard Mallory (electronics shop owner, Clearwater), David Spears (construction worker), Charles Carskaddon, Troy Burress (delivery driver), Charles "Dick" Humphreys (retired Air Force major and former police chief), Walter Antonio. (Commission record; AP; People)
3. 1989-1990the men were shot along highways in north and central Florida. She was arrested in January 1991 and confessed, saying she acted in self-defense. (Wuornos v. State, No. 79,484; CNN; Commission record)
4. Only the Mallory case was tried. She testified he attacked her. Jan. 27, 1992: convicted; the jury recommended death 12-0. (Commission record; Wuornos v. State; CNN)
5. Sept. 22, 1994the Florida Supreme Court affirmed. It held evidence of the other killings was properly admitted to rebut her self-defense claim; one justice wrote that her testimony, viewed alone, established a "colorable claim of self-defense" but was undermined by her initial confession and inconsistent statements. (Wuornos v. State, No. 79,484, pp. 11-13, 26, 28)
6. April 2001she asked the Florida Supreme Court to let her drop her appeals. July 20, 2001: found competent. April 1, 2002: appeals dismissed. Sept. 5, 2002: death warrant signed. (Commission record; AP; A&E)
7. 2001, asking to be put to death, she said"I killed those men, robbed them as cold as ice." (CNN, Oct. 9, 2002)
8. Sept. 30, 2002after her lawyer said he had "grave doubts about her competency to be executed," Gov. Jeb Bush stayed the execution; Florida law requires an evaluation. Three psychiatrists interviewed her. (CNN, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 2002; AP)
9. Oct. 2, 2002the stay was lifted; the order said the report showed she "has the mental capacity to understand the nature of the death penalty and the reasons why it was imposed upon her." She insisted she was competent. (CNN, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9, 2002)
10. Oct. 9, 2002executed at Florida State Prison; pronounced dead at 9:47 a.m. (CNN; AP via CBS News)

What we don't know

• What the psychiatrists' report said beyond that one line. State Attorney John Tanner, who watched the interview, said it lasted about 30 minutes (AP). We could not find the report in the public record.
• Peter Siems disappeared in June 1990. He was never found and no one was charged in his case. We do not count him among the six.

Please note

Aileen Wuornos was convicted of first-degree murder in the six deaths named above (one jury verdict, five pleas). She said at trial that she acted in self-defense.

Chapters

1. 0:00Six sentences, one jury
2. 0:23Who they were
3. 0:46The one jury trial
4. 1:39The five pleas
5. 2:12The two days in 2002
6. 2:49What we don't know

Sources

1. Wuornos v. State, No. 79,484, Florida Supreme Court (Sept. 22, 1994), 644 So. 2d 1000 Primary recordlibrary.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/79484/op-79484.pdf
2. Florida Commission on Capital Cases, case record DC# 150924 Primary recordleg.state.fl.us/capitalcases/Documents/Case_updates/htm/150924-2.html

Spot an error? Email corrections@undercurrentdaily.com. See our corrections policy. Have information about this case? Contact the investigating agency first.

Part of What We Know: open cases, confirmed facts only · YouTube playlist