TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Zachary Abell was convicted on Friday of second-degree murder, accessory after the fact, and tampering with evidence in connection to a brutal 2018 murder. The jury reached a verdict after five hours of deliberation, just minutes before 5 p.m. Abell, a Franklin County resident, is set to be sentenced in March.
Abell is one of two individuals accused of the murder at the Sportsman’s Lodge in 2018. The Franklin County Sheriff described the crime scene at the motel room as “horrific,” stating that 30-year-old Aileen Seidin was beaten to death there, with her body later dumped on the side of a dirt road.
During the trial, Abell’s co-defendant, Christina Araujo, testified against him. Araujo has already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and will be sentenced at a later date, according to prosecutors.
The sentencing of Abell is anticipated to take place in March. Authorities have not yet provided further details about the case or the trial.
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