On March 25, 2023, 59-year-old Timothy Smith was found dead in a second residence his partner rented in Citrus City, Florida. The scene included BDSM-related equipment; Smith was discovered wearing a T-shirt and shoes with a dark ligature mark, blunt-force injuries and a fractured cervical spine. His husband, Herbert Swilley, called 911 after Smith missed work and failed to respond to messages. Authorities investigated whether the killing was tied to a sex date gone wrong, revenge, or a hate crime; the case was later profiled in People Magazine Investigates.
Inside the Florida 'Sex House' Homicide: A Loving Couple, a Secret Second Home, and a Brutal Killing
Tim Smith/ FacebookHerbert Swilley and Tim Smith
Herbert Swilley and Timothy Smith were longtime partners in Ocala, Florida, known in their neighborhood for warm hospitality and an annual New Year’s Eve party. Their lives took a tragic turn when Smith was discovered dead on March 25, 2023, inside a second residence the couple rented in nearby Citrus City for private encounters.
Discovery and Crime Scene
Swilley, alarmed after Smith failed to answer repeated calls and missed work at the senior living center where he served as executive director, drove to the rental unit on March 25. He saw Smith’s Jeep outside, knocked on the door and, when there was no response, called 911 to request a welfare check. While Swilley waited, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy entered the apartment.
The deputy found one bedroom outfitted with equipment associated with consensual BDSM activity, including a ceiling-mounted swing, a toolbox of sex toys, whips on the wall and a massage table. In the master bedroom, officers discovered Smith’s body lying on the floor between the bed and a closet. He was wearing only a T-shirt and shoes and had a dark ligature mark around his neck.
warner bros.Detective Karla Santana
Autopsy Findings and Investigation
The coroner later determined Smith, 59, had sustained blunt-force trauma to his face and genitals and suffered a fractured cervical spine. Authorities launched a multifaceted investigation to determine whether the killing resulted from a sex date that turned violent, an act of revenge, or a hate-motivated crime.
Investigators examined the apartment and surrounding circumstances, interviewing friends, neighbors and associates as they pieced together events from March 24–25. The case drew significant public interest because it involved a well-known local couple whose private life contrasted sharply with their friendly, public persona.
Media Coverage
The case was later profiled in an episode of People Magazine Investigates titled "Sex House Homicide," which explores the investigation and the many unanswered questions about what led to Smith’s death. The episode aired on Investigation Discovery and was made available to stream.
Note: This article summarizes reported facts from law enforcement and the coroner's findings. The investigation explored multiple motives, and readers should be aware that formal charges and final legal outcomes should be confirmed through official court records and police releases.
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