Herbert Swilley has been convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his husband, health care executive Timothy Smith. Investigators said Swilley drugged Smith with a lethal dose of allergy medicine before strangling him and staging the scene to look like a sexual encounter gone wrong. The case is featured in a new episode of the A&E series Killer Investigations.
The murder took place inside a private apartment in Florida used for sexual encounters. Detectives determined that Swilley incapacitated Smith before the killing and attempted to make the death appear as if it involved an anonymous partner. Sgt. Daniel Pinder of the Marion County Sheriff's Office stated that Swilley wanted to create the impression of a consensual meeting. Body camera footage from deputies entering the scene showed Smith left naked after being strangled. Friends of Smith, including Candy Baker and Michael Orsini, described his advocacy work in the LGBTQ community and expressed shock at his death. Swilley received a life sentence following his conviction.