Ocala, Fla. — A Marion County jury has found 56-year-old Herbert Swilley guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his husband, Timothy Smith, bringing an end to a high-profile case that has gripped Ocala since 2023.

Jurors deliberated for several hours before delivering the verdict on Friday. Judge Robert Hodges then sentenced Swilley to life in prison without the possibility of parole, granting credit for 687 days already served in jail.

Prosecutors said Swilley drugged Smith with sleeping medication before strangling him inside their Ocala home, while Smith’s daughter was asleep in another room. Investigators testified that Swilley then moved the body to an apartment the couple owned, staging the scene to look as though Smith had been killed there by someone else.

The couple reportedly used that apartment for relationships outside their marriage. Swilley’s defense attorneys argued that other men’s DNA found at the apartment raised doubt about the state’s case, but the jury sided with prosecutors.

Key evidence included security footage showing Swilley’s truck traveling between the couple’s home and the apartment on the night of the killing.

Prosecutors also presented a possible motive: Smith, a respected member of Ocala’s business community, had planned to leave the marriage and accept a new job in DeLand. After his death, Swilley stood to gain financially from Smith’s life insurance and retirement benefits.

Loved ones of Smith delivered emotional statements in court, describing him as a dedicated father, successful professional, and a man whose life was cut short by betrayal.

Neighbors and friends say the case has been a sobering reminder that tragedies can strike even in close-knit communities like Ocala. “You never expect something like this to happen right here,” one resident said after the verdict. “It’s heartbreaking.”

For Smith’s daughter and extended family, the verdict provides accountability but not healing. Community members have expressed hope that the case will bring greater awareness to the realities of domestic abuse, and spark conversations about prevention and support for victims in Marion County.

With sentencing complete, Swilley begins his life term behind bars, closing a tragic chapter for the Smith family and the Ocala community.