A trip to the Florida Panhandle meant to be a fresh start for a Georgia couple ended in a violent hotel room assault and a felony conviction for 62-year-old Anthony Wayne Worley.
On Friday, a six-person jury in Bay County took only about an hour to find the Moreland, Georgia, man guilty on several counts, including aggravated battery, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge.
The charges stem from a 2024 incident on Thomas Drive, where Worley and his girlfriend were staying while scouting potential places to live. According to testimony presented by prosecutors Jackson White and Christopher Walters, a minor disagreement sparked the violence.
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The victim testified that after someone paid her a compliment while the couple was out, Worley became enraged. When she retreated to their room and told him she planned to return to Georgia alone, the situation turned physical.
Inside the hotel room, the victim said Worley punched her repeatedly and tried to smother her with a pillow.
She also described a terrifying moment when Worley brandished a loaded firearm, allegedly telling her he had “one bullet for you and one bullet for me.” Evidence presented during the trial showed the victim suffered a broken nose and a fractured orbital socket, injuries that required emergency medical intervention.
The case was bolstered by hotel surveillance footage that captured both video and audio of the struggle. The recording showed Worley grabbing the woman from behind and trying to force her back into the room as she screamed for help.
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The screams caught the attention of a nearby guest who intervened. This “Good Samaritan” stepped in as the victim managed to break free, directing her to the safety of his own room while he held Worley at bay until Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived.
State Attorney Larry Basford credited the intervention of the witness for preventing further harm, noting that the outcome could have been far worse had the victim been pulled back behind a locked door.
Prosecutor Jackson White echoed that sentiment after the verdict, highlighting that the combination of the witness’s bravery and the victim’s testimony ensured the defendant would face accountability. Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark has scheduled Worley’s sentencing for February 18, where he faces a significant term in state prison.
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