Summary of Offense:
Gary Ray Bowles was convicted and sentenced to death for the November 16, 1994 murder of Walter Hinton.
Gary Bowles met Walter Hinton in November of 1994. Bowles consented to helping Hinton move some of his things from Georgia to his mobile home in Jacksonville and, in exchange, Hinton would allow Bowles to live with him there. On the evening of November 16, 1994, Bowles accompanied Hinton to the train station to drop off a friend. Earlier in the evening, the three men had smoked marijuana and had a few beers. Upon returning home, Hinton went directly to sleep, but Bowles stayed up and continued to drink. Bowles later confessed that at some point during the night, he just “snapped.” Bowles went outside and retrieved a large concrete block. He brought the block inside and sat it upon the table. Moments later, he took the block into Hinton’s room and dropped it on his head as he lay sleeping. The block fractured Hinton’s cheek to his jaw. After the blow, Hinton was conscious and fell from his bed. Bowles then began to strangle him. He then stuffed toilet paper and a rag down Hinton’s throat. Medical examiners’ reports indicated that Hinton died from asphyxiation. Bowles was arrested for the murder on November 22, 1994 and subsequently confessed to the crime.
Bowles was resentenced to death in Duval County on September 7, 1999.
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