Florida killer commits suicide while on death row
Share this @internewscast.com

BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — A second man convicted of murdering someone in Bay County and sitting on death row has died this week.

Kayle Bates was executed Tuesday, but that’s not how the second man died.

The Florida Department of Corrections website now lists Matthew Caylor as deceased.

News Channel 8’s sister station News 13 confirmed Caylor committed suicide Tuesday night.

It’s unclear how Caylor committed suicide or why corrections officers were unable to prevent it.

On July 8, 2008, Caylor raped and killed 13-year-old Melinda Hinson.

Hinson and her family were living at the Value Lodge motel on West Highway 98.

She walked to Caylor’s room to bum a cigarette.

Caylor raped the girl, strangled her with a phone cord, then stuffed her body under the bed. Motel maids found the body two days later.

A local jury convicted Caylor of first-degree murder and voted 8-to-4 in favor of the death penalty.

Because the jury’s vote was not unanimous, Caylor received a new sentencing phase in 2023.

Caylor requested a judge to decide his fate rather than a jury, saying he’d promised not to put Hinson’s mother through the ordeal.

During that resentencing, prosecutors announced the mother had died.

Chief Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson heard the case and resentenced Caylor to death.

Afterward, Caylor’s attorney filed a new appeal, saying if they’d known Hinson’s mother had died, they would have requested a jury hear the case.

The appeal wound up in the State Supreme Court, where justices rejected it earlier this year.

Caylor had been on death row since 2009.

“Matthew Caylor understood he was destined to share the same unavoidable outcome as Kayle Bates. By choosing to end his own life, he spared Florida taxpayers significant expenses,” remarked State Attorney Larry Basford.

Caylor was 50 years old.

The state will perform an autopsy as part of its investigation into his suicide.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Johnson City Man Accused of Ramming Police Cars in Failed Traffic Stop

In a dramatic turn of events on a Tuesday afternoon in Jonesborough,…

Transgender Air Force Veterans File Lawsuit Over Denied Retirement Benefits

WASHINGTON – A collective of 17 transgender Air Force personnel has taken…

Triumphant Triumph: Dobyns-Bennett Chosen to Champion Tennessee at 2024 Special Olympics USA Games

Four exceptional athletes from Dobyns-Bennett High School’s Unified Track and Field team…

Suspected Solo Heist Targets Roman Statues at Syria’s Premier Museum

DAMASCUS – Officials revealed on Wednesday that the recent theft of several…

Griffith Expresses Significant Concerns Over Provision in Bill Ending Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON (WJHL) — Congressman Morgan Griffith from Southwest Virginia has expressed significant…

Two Suspects Charged in Connection with Kingsport Homicide Investigation

Two individuals are facing charges after a man was discovered deceased in…

Small Businesses Face Unprecedented Challenges Amid Historic Government Shutdown

NEW YORK – As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history teeters…

R&B Star Akon Arrested Near Atlanta for Failing to Appear in Court Over Suspended License

In a surprising turn of events, renowned hip-hop star Akon found himself…

Two Individuals Charged with First-Degree Murder in Kingsport Case

In Kingsport, Tennessee, authorities have charged two individuals with first-degree murder following…

Breaking: Russia Advances in Southern Ukraine with Intensified Front-Line Offensive

KYIV – Ukraine’s top military leader announced on Wednesday that Russian forces…

Pakistan Launches Investigation into Suicide Bombing Fatalities Outside Islamabad Court

ISLAMABAD – On Wednesday, Pakistan launched an investigation into a devastating suicide…

Unraveling White Flag Protocols: Why Tri-Cities’ Salvation Army Centers Tailor Their Emergency Responses

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – With the Tri-Cities region bracing for temperatures…