About this episode
The episode features a firsthand account of the execution of Gainesville Ripper Danny Rolling by journalist Michael Mayo.
This encore presentation revisits one of the most unsettling stories ever featured on DEVIANT. It is a firsthand account of the execution of Gainesville Ripper Danny Rolling, as witnessed by veteran South Florida journalist Michael Mayo. Mayo covered two Florida executions in his 31-year career. What he saw, and what he did not expect to feel, stayed with him. In this conversation with DEVIANT host Dan Szematowicz, Mayo walks us through the days leading up to Rolling’s death: meeting the families of the victims, entering Florida’s death chamber, hearing the condemned man sing a self-written hymn moments before the chemicals flowed, and grappling with what executions mean for justice, closure, and the people left behind. It is a stark and unvarnished look at an experience few ever witness. It also raises hard questions about punishment, memory, and the weight of what the state asks us to carry. This is a rerelease of a previous DEVIANT episode. New episodes return next week. SUPPORT THE SHOW: http://www.deviantpodcast.com Visit DEVIANT's socials: http://www.instagram.com/deviant.podcast http://www.tiktok.com/@deviant.podcast Copyright 2025 Cold Open Media LLC Learn more about your…
People in this episode
Host: Dan Szematowicz
Guest: Michael Mayo
Topics covered
- execution
- true crime
- journalism
- justice
- death penalty
- personal account
Keywords
- Gainesville Ripper
- Danny Rolling
- execution
- Michael Mayo
- Florida
- death penalty
- justice
- journalism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cold Open Media
Places: Florida, Florida’s death chamber
More episodes of DEVIANT
- The Delphi Murders - Part 2: Crime Scene · February 11, 2026 · 20 min
- The Delphi Murders - Part 1: Gone · February 4, 2026 · 21 min
- The Delphi Murders: Series Preview · January 21, 2026 · 7 min
- Hunter/Hunted: Christopher Dorner - Part 2 · December 31, 2025 · 24 min
- Hunter/Hunted: Christopher Dorner - Part 1 · December 18, 2025 · 24 min
- The Murder Of Christy Mirack · December 3, 2025 · 23 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the DEVIANT podcast page.