N.Y. woman sentenced to life for traveling to Florida to stab her ex’s new girlfriend to death

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) -- A woman who stabbed her ex’s new girlfriend to death has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Sakiyna Thompson, 31, was sentenced Dec. 1. She was convicted of first-degree murder in October for the 2022 killing of Kayla Hodgson, 23, NBC Miami reports. 

In a press release at the time, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said they received a call on July 13, 2022, reporting that a woman was unresponsive in a home. When authorities arrived on scene, they found Hodgson deceased. 

An investigation led them to Thompson, and they obtained a warrant for her arrest on July 25, 2022. She was arrested in New York on Aug. 3, 2022, and extradited back to Florida on a first-degree murder charge.

According to the prosecution, Thompson flew to Florida from her home in New York intending to kill Hodgson out of jealousy. Hodgson was dating Thompson’s ex-boyfriend at the time, NBC Miami reports. Prosecutors say Thompson, wearing a mask, arrived by Uber at Hodgson’s apartment at 5 a.m. on July 13, 2022, and stabbed her to death. She then left in an Uber registered to a fake account.

Thompson’s attorneys claimed she acted in self-defense in an attempt to save her life and the life of her unborn child, according to NBC Miami.

During the trial, Thompson testified in her own defense and told jurors she arrived at the apartment to talk with Hodgson “woman to woman,” and was angry she had been blocked by her on social media. She alleged that Hodgson cut her stomach with a piece of glass and that is why she acted in self-defense.

After the stabbing, Thompson admitted she attempted to clean up the scene and changed into Hodgson’s clothes before leaving. She also stated she was afraid to call the police. 

NBC Miami reports that the jury deliberated for one hour before finding Thompson guilty. 

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