OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - Jurors found Herbert Swilley guilty on Friday of murdering his husband in March 2023. The judge then sentenced him to life in prison.
After several hours of deliberation, the jury found Swilley guilty of first-degree murder for killing Timothy Smith , a prominent member of the Ocala business community.
Following the verdict, several people who knew Smith made statements on behalf of the victim. Judge Robert Hodges then sentenced Swilley to life in prison with credit for time served of 687 days.
“I feel a little bit of relief, but I want to call Tim,” said Candace Baker, a friend of the victim. “I want to tell Tim, ‘We did it! We did it!’ But Tim’s not there, you know, which is why I’m taking the flowers to his property, but I also feel that we didn’t give up on Ti