TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 29 (UPI) -- A former librarian sentenced to death for the murder of his ex-girlfriend killed himself on death row in Florida, his lawyer said Tuesday.

William Coday, 51, was found dead in his cell Monday at the state prison in Raiford, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

The Florida Department of Corrections would say only that the death is under investigation. But lawyer George Reres said that Coday bled to death after cutting himself.

Coday was convicted of killing Gloria Gomez in 1997 after she broke up with him. She was savagely beaten with two hammers and stabbed.

In the 1970s, Coday served 15 months in Germany for a similar killing. His lawyer in that case used an insanity defense.

Coday met Gomez at the Broward County Library, where he was a foreign languages librarian. After she ended the relationship, he lured her to his apartment by claiming to have terminal cancer and attacked her.

Reres said that Coday had a history of suicide attempts.

"He did have a death wish," the lawyer said

Lawyer: Death row inmate killed himself - UPI.com

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

I can't imagine what must go through the mind of some of these guys/gals!!

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me neither i think when someone is doing this he/she is realy desperate!!

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

W. Coday had a history of suicide attempts, with that many failures at it, he was looking for attention, does not sound to me like he had a true death wish.

But, he sure knew how to viciously kill her, and the other back in the 70's, that he was good at being sure death occurred.

Insanity my butt, he is a killer with premeditated purpose only of others death, not of his own obviously !!!

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I don't see it so much as a desperate attempt, but more not wanting to live in the moment.
I honestly have to admire (not sure if that is the word i am looking for) some people that endure Death Row and solitary on a continuing basis.
I look at Levon "Bo" James who found freedom on May 2, 2008 after spending 14 years on death row for a crime he DID NOT commit. Can you imagine how you would feel knowing you are INNOCENT of the crime you are charged with and having to live as they do 24/7? The inner strength one has to have to endure prison life, be he innocent or guilty. It is a wonder more people are not taking their own life.

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The last of all freedoms is the ability to choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances.
G. W. Allport.

smiley i do wonder too,but it isn't that easy to do on dr i guess.
in the year 2007 a few man played suicide in texas who were innocent,those mem were desperate because they killed themselves with a stump self made something.
realy i feel so so sorry for those men and their famliy.
yesterday i was looking on Death Row Home Page
to my suprise i saw another man killed himself in 2008 and you know what is wasn't in the publissity.
does texas doesn't want this to come out,well it isn't something to be proud at!!

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

many rather take their own life then allow the state too.

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I need coffee

I was Bill Coday's pen pal from 2002 until late 2004 when he stopped answering my letters, which was because he wanted me to visit but I was on Mark Gerald's list already. At the time I explained this to him he was moved to Union and stopped writing to me. Bill had told me many times he wanted to die. He wanted to be executed and not file appeals. He sent me photos of him and Gloria (his victim/girlfriend) and told me he still loved her and did not want to live without her. He had told me the whole story from his perspective and I wept, seeing it thru his eyes, the actual murder scene, all the details. He had been trying to kill himself since even while in the county jail awaiting his trial in the late 1990's. He was afraid his sentence would be commuted to life, which he did not want. I always enjoyed his letters. He was very intelligent and articulate, a fascinating person, someone I wish I had known years before. When I heard about his suicide I was not surprised. I was saddened, but I know that's what he wanted. Now he is with Gloria again.

thanks mike for this,now people will know there was a human behind the crime.
it didn't suprise me too this suicicide and i hope he found some peace.

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

awwwww Mike.
Thank you for sharing this with us.

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I need coffee