- Glen Rogers sentenced to death in FL (1997) and CA (1999) for hotel stabbing and truck burning murders
- Suspected in 5+ additional homicides across 4 states between 1994-1996
- Florida’s 5th execution of 2024 follows national debate about capital punishment efficacy
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant Tuesday scheduling Glen Edward Rogers’ execution for May 15. The 62-year-old’s lethal injection at Florida State Prison concludes a 29-year legal battle stemming from the brutal 1995 murder of Tina Marie Cribbs. Forensic evidence showed the Gibsonton bartender suffered 14 stab wounds in a Tampa-area motel bathroom.
Rogers’ cross-country crime spree continued weeks later in Van Nuys, California, where Sandra Gallagher’s charred remains were discovered in her Ford F-150. Investigators confirmed both victims met Rogers at bars shortly before their deaths – a pattern matching unsolved cases in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky. Criminal psychologists suggest transient killers often exploit interstate jurisdictional gaps, a challenge modern DNA databases now help address.
Florida’s Department of Corrections reports 21 death row inmates have been executed since 2019, with lethal injection remaining the state’s primary method. This contrasts with 11 states that abolished capital punishment since 2007, reflecting regional divides. A 2023 Pew Research study found 60% of Southerners support executions versus 47% nationwide.
The upcoming execution marks Florida’s fifth this year, following Gulf War veteran Jeffrey Hutchinson’s scheduled May 1 death sentence for a 2000 quadruple shotgun homicide. Critics argue rapid execution timelines – 3 of this year’s cases waited under 15 years – risk overlooking new evidence. However, victim advocacy groups counter that delayed justice retraumatizes families.