A Florida man sentenced to loss of life for raping and murdering a 13-year-old woman did the state a favor final week — by killing himself earlier than it might execute him, officers stated.
Matthew Caylor, 50, had been on Demise Row for 16 years for raping and fatally strangling Melinda Hinson in 2008.
Caylor attacked Melinda whereas on the lam after molesting a 14-year-old woman in Georgia, authorities stated.
He was dwelling out of a motel room in Panama Metropolis so he might promote medication on the aspect whereas in hiding — and Melinda, who lived in that very same motel together with her household, dropped by his room in the future to ask for a cigarette.
Caylor needed to make the commerce “price it,” in keeping with court documents.
“[I]f I’m going to be in bother for having intercourse with this woman being in my room, I’d as nicely have intercourse with this woman,” Caylor informed authorities of his pondering on the time.
Melinda tried to power him off her, and so they ultimately rolled up and doing and over a phone, Caylor stated. He then took the wire and strangled the flailing teenager with it till she died. Then he stuffed her physique between the mattress and the mattress body, the place motel cleaners discovered her two days later.
Caylor repeatedly tried to dodge Demise Row by way of the courts, to no avail.
So he took issues into his personal fingers final week — a transfer that State Lawyer Larry Basford claimed did a service to Floridians’ wallets.
after molesting a 14-year-old woman in Georgia. State Attorneys Workplace
“Matthew Caylor was a sexual predator that had violated his parole in Georgia and got here down right here for a final hurrah in Bay County,” Basford stated. “After a trial and quite a few appeals, he knew he was dealing with the identical inevitable destiny as Kayle Bates.
“By committing suicide, he saved the taxpayers of Florida some huge cash.”
It’s unclear how Caylor killed himself.
Kayle Bates, one other inmate on the Sunshine State’s Demise Row, was executed Tuesday. Bates had kidnapped a lady from a Florida Panhandle insurance coverage workplace and killed her.
It’s unclear how a lot executions value taxpayers right now and if their grisly price ticket varies by methodology.
In 2000, it value about $24 million for every execution with the electrical chair, the Palm Street Post stated.
At the moment, Florida had executed 44 prisoners. Within the quarter century for the reason that Palm Avenue Submit’s findings, one other 72 prisoners have been executed, together with 10 in 2025 alone, in keeping with the Florida Department of Corrections.
There are nonetheless greater than 250 folks ready on Florida’s Demise Row.
