Louis Gaskin: Florida inmate dubbed ‘Ninja Killer’ set to be executed for 1989 double homicide
FLAGLER, FLORIDA: According to reports, a Florida prison inmate, Louis Gaskin, nicknamed the 'Ninja Killer' for dressing entirely in black when striking random couples, will be put to death next month. Florida Gov Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Louis Bernard Gaskin on March 13, Monday, making him the state's second execution this year if he is killed on Wednesday, April 12, 2023.
Gaskin, who is now 56 years old, committed a string of brutal assaults on couples in December 1989, including one that resulted in the deaths of a husband and wife. As per the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Ninja Killer went stumbling around looking for victims on the evening of December 20 while wearing only black clothing.
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What did Louis Gaskin do?
Robert and Georgette Sturmfels were reportedly relaxing in their quiet Palm Coast home's living room when Gaskin first came across their house, according to the News-Journal. Several reports claim Gaskin, who resided in Bunnell, about 20 minutes away, stood outside the house, pointed his.22-caliber rifle at it, and started firing. As per reports and court documents, the Ninja Killer shot Robert Sturmfels, 56, several times before shooting Georgett Sturmfels, 55, as she left the room.
'He fired one more bullet into each of the Sturmfels’ heads'
Court documents also say the killer went inside the house after the bloodbath and shot each victim dead at close range. "Mrs. Sturmfels crawled into the hallway, and Gaskin pursued her around the house until he saw her through the door and shot her again,” read records filed in Florida Supreme Court. "Gaskin then pulled out a screen, broke the window, and entered the home." "He fired one more bullet into each of the Sturmfels’ heads and covered the bodies with blankets," the documents read.
'He called it the death gurgle'
Before leaving, Gaskin took jewelry, cash, video recorders, clocks, and lamps, which he loaded in his car. Sr Cmdr Mark Carman of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office was a major crimes detective at the time of the killing. He labored on the case with the other three investigators. He recalled that Gaskin likened his victims' gasps to the sounds of a dying hog. "He called it the death gurgle," Carman recounted.
Gaskin went on to attack another couple
The killer went to the residence of Joseph and Mary Rector after killing the Sturmfels. In an apparent effort to persuade the pair to leave their home, Gaskin reportedly cut their phone line and threw objects onto their roof, as per the News-Journal. The killer fired one round at Joseph Rector as the pair emerged. but, they managed to reach their nearby car and flee, making their way to a hospital even as Gaskin fired shots at their vehicle, according to reports. Joseph Rector barely survived the attack, and his wife was unharmed.
How was the Ninja Killer captured?
A tipster came forward and informed officials that he owned the rifle used in the shootings, which led to Gaskin's capture. The man, whose sister was dating Gaskin at the time, went on to say that the murderer had almost confessed to him. The man told authorities that the killer "had saved some of that stuff to give to [his girlfriend] for Christmas" after having "jacked" the gifts and leaving the victims "stiff." Gaskin was ultimately convicted of murder and attempted murder in the shootings.
'The devil had more of a hold than God did'
"The guilt was always there," Gaskin told a psychologist, according to the News-Journal. "The devil had more of a hold than God did," he stated. "I knew that I was wrong. I wasn’t insane." Gaskin appealed his execution sentence several times, but both the state and federal courts rejected his appeals.
Capital punishment in Florida
Florida has a long history of capital punishment going back to the 1800s. On October 7, 1924, Frank Johnson became the first individual to be electrocuted to death in the state of Florida. There were no killings in the US between 1967 and 1977. Florida has executed 99 murderers since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death sentence in 1976, 44 by electrocution and 55 by lethal injection. Donald Dillbeck was the last individual executed in February 2023, as per WPTV.