Jamaican-born woman sentenced to life for murder of 23-year-old in Florida

United States: Sakiyna Thompson, a 31-year-old Jamaican-born woman, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the first-degree murder of 23-year-old Kayla Hodgson in Tamarac, Florida.

The 31-year-old Jamaican born woman was sentenced on Thursday after prosecutors argued that Thompson travelled from New York where she resided to Florida in July 2022 to confront Hodgson in her Florida apartment after citing her as a romantic rival over her ex-boyfriend.

In the trial, prosecutors argued that Thompson had travelled across state lines with an explicit intention to carry out the attack, stabbing Kayla Hodgson in her own home. After she had reportedly blocked Thompson across all her social media platforms.

According to the state, Thompson reportedly disguised herself and arrived at the victim’s home in the early morning, but left the house shortly afterwards with a weapon, after she allegedly attacked Hodgson and left her inside the home.

In her defense, Thompson admitted that she stabbed Hodgson while she was at the house, but claimed that it was an act of self-defense. As Hodgson had hit her and cut  her abdomen with a piece of glass, prompting her to react.

She further noted in her testimony that she was two months pregnant at the time, and had to act in order to protect herself and her unborn child. Claims that Jurors rejected and concluded that  the attack was premeditated, as she disguised herself before the attack.

And went to Hodgson’s home with the intent to cause her harm, over a suspected relationship with her ex-boyfriend, stabbed her and left her to die in her home.

The judge sentenced her to life in prison without parole, after describing the killing as “heinous,” act. With Hodgson’s family expressing their relief over the verdict.