Press Release
The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on February 23, 2018, Circuit Judge Brantley S. Clark, Jr. sentenced Mary King to 14 years in prison for Principal to Manslaughter and Aggravated Battery. King had previously been found guilty as charged by a Bay County jury of those charges on January 12, 2017. The charges stemmed from an October 2015 incident. An anonymous tip was called into the Bay County Sheriff’s Department in reference to King, her co-defendant, Thomas Hutchinson, and the victim, Timothy Morrell, being on a boat that had capsized in North Bay. Even after being rescued, King never mentioned Mr. Morrell. After several interrogations, King finally admitted to battering Mr. Morrell and stabbing him multiple times, and then refusing to allow him back in the boat. On October 15, 2015, Mr. Morrell’s body was recovered floating in the bay. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy, Chief of Major Crimes.
For additional information, contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.