What began as online tension between two women ended in a brutal killing that shocked both Florida and Jamaica. Now, a 31-year-old Jamaican-born woman will spend the rest of her life in prison after a jury found her guilty of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 23-year-old Kayla Hodgson.
A Deadly Trip Fueled by Jealousy
Prosecutors argued that Sakiyna Thompson boarded a flight from New York to Florida with one purpose: to confront the young woman she believed was involved with her ex-boyfriend, Ravelto Robinson. When Hodgson blocked her on social media, investigators say the jealousy turned into a dangerous obsession.
The state presented evidence showing Thompson disguised herself and appeared at Hodgson’s Tamarac apartment in the early morning hours. Surveillance videos allegedly captured her arriving in costume and leaving moments after the attack, holding the weapon used to kill Hodgson.
A Self-Defense Claim the Jury Did Not Believe
Thompson admitted she stabbed Hodgson but insisted she acted in self-defense. On the stand, she claimed Hodgson hit her and cut her abdomen with a piece of glass, triggering a fear-driven reaction — especially because she said she was two months pregnant at the time.
But jurors were unmoved. They rejected her version of events entirely, concluding that the attack was planned, targeted, and premeditated.
A “Heinous” Killing and a Final Verdict
The judge described the murder as “heinous,” highlighting the calculated steps Thompson took — disguising herself, staging the confrontation, and fleeing in the victim’s clothes. Hodgson’s family shared emotional statements in court, emphasizing the cruelty of the attack and the life stolen from a vibrant 23-year-old woman.
Thompson was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing a definitive end to a case marked by jealousy, deception, and devastating violence.
A Tragic Reminder of a Conflict That Should Never Have Turned Deadly
For Hodgson’s family, the verdict brings closure but not healing. For the community, it stands as a stark warning about how quickly anger and obsession can escalate into irreversible tragedy.
