A jury found a woman guilty of first-degree murder of her ex-boyfriend's new lover in 2022 in Tamarac, Florida.
On Tuesday, Sakiyna Thompson, 31, was convicted over the July 2022 killing of 23-year-old Kayla Hodgson. She could face life in prison.
According to prosecutors, Thompson flew out to South Florida from New York days before the murder with the intent of killing Hodgson. They said Thompson was jealous that Hodgson was dating her ex-boyfriend.
Thompson was Jealous About Hodgson Dating Her Ex-Boyfriend
In July of 2022, prosecutors argued that Thompson surprised Hodgson at her Tamarac apartment at 5 a.m., confronted her about the two women dating the same man, and then stabbed her to death.
"Being violated in your own home, in the sanctity of your own home, is a scary thing," said Tonya Johnson, an assistant state prosecutor. "What's even scarier is being attacked, being brutally murdered in your own home, and that person getting away with it."
Thompson Claimed She Acted in Self-Defense, Killed Hodgson to Protect Her Unborn Child
During the trial, jurors heard four hours of closing arguments that were centered on whether Thompson planned to kill Hodgson or whether Thompson acted in self-defense.
On Monday, Thompson told jurors she went to Hodgson's apartment uninvited to talk "woman-to-woman" about dating the same man. She then claimed Hodgson attacked her and punched her in the face.
Thompson also said she was two months pregnant at the time. She claimed Hodgson cut her stomach with a piece of glass. Afterward, Thompson grabbed the glass and then blacked out. She then allegedly awoke to Hodgson dead on the floor.
Thompson then admitted to changing into the victim's clothes, cleaning up some of the scene, and being too scared to call police. She also threw evidence in the trash.
Thompson Said She was Upset After Hodgson Blocked Her on Social Media
In the months leading up to the murder, Thompson admitted to getting upset when Hodgson blocked her on social media. Prosecutors said she was upset enough to kill.
The state said Thompson tried to conceal her identity that night by coming to the apartment in a hat and a COVID-19 mask, and used a fake Uber account to get there and back to her hotel. The defense countered that there's no evidence Thompson brought a weapon, and that Hodgson let her into her home.
