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Woman gets life sentence nearly 4 years after deadly Marion County shooting

Jennifer Hill, 44, was found guilty in December of 2nd-degree murder

Jennifer Hill, 44 (Marion County)

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A Marion County woman who shot and killed a man in a case of mistaken identity will spend the rest of her life in prison.

Jennifer Hill, 44, was sentenced on Monday morning after she was found guilty of second-degree murder in December.

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Hill was arrested in November 2020 after she shot and killed Michael Hofacker, 39, whom she believed had stolen from her, according to investigators.

The shooting happened along the 3200 block of Highway 314A, about 2 miles south of Highway 40 and 9 miles east of Highway 35.

Investigators said Hill realized Hofacker was not the man she believed he was only after she had shot him.

Hill’s friend, who witnessed the shooting, later told investigators that Hofacker hadn’t posed a threat and was unarmed at the time, the release shows. The friend added that Hofacker had introduced himself as “Mikey,” causing Hill to mistake him for Michael Beach, records show.

Investigators learned Hill’s home had been broken into earlier that month and Beach was considered a possible culprit in the theft.

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About the Author
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Thomas Mates is a Streaming Executive Producer for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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