MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A Marion County jury delivered a swift and decisive verdict Wednesday evening, finding 27-year-old Travis Ray Thompson guilty of First Degree Murder in the tragic 2022 death of two-year-old Jacklyn Schwingel.
Following a nearly two-hour deliberation, the verdict was announced, and Judge Barbara Kissner immediately sentenced Thompson to life in prison.
The outcome brings a measure of closure to a heartbreaking case that shocked the community.
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“This monster stole the life of an innocent child, and today, the justice system made sure he will never walk free again. Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil,” declared Bill Gladson, State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, underscoring the severity of Thompson’s crime.
The devastating incident unfolded on May 3, 2022, when the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) received a report of child abuse from AdventHealth Waterman in Tavares. Two-year-old Jacklyn Schwingel, in critical condition, was transported to the emergency room, where medical personnel’s valiant efforts to save her life proved futile. She was pronounced deceased.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods lauded the efforts of his team and the State Attorney’s Office.
“I’m incredibly proud of my Major Crimes detectives for their relentless work on this heartbreaking case. Their dedication helped secure justice for an innocent child. I also want to thank State Attorney Bill Gladson and his team for delivering a guilty verdict. In Marion County, we protect our children – and we hold those who harm them accountable,” Sheriff Woods stated.
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The MCSO’s Major Crimes unit promptly launched an investigation. Detective King learned from Jacklyn’s mother that she had left the toddler in Thompson’s care earlier that morning to go to work. A mere twenty-five minutes after her departure, the mother received a frantic call from Thompson, who reported that Jacklyn was unresponsive.
Upon her immediate return, the mother found Jacklyn lifeless, with a shallow pulse and a distended abdomen. She and Thompson began to transport the child to a nearby hospital, but en route, Jacklyn stopped breathing. The mother then instructed Thompson to call 9-1-1, leading to emergency medical services meeting them at a nearby business to take over transport.
At the hospital, medical staff suspected internal bleeding and reported potential child abuse to both the MCSO and the Department of Children and Families. When interviewed by detectives, Thompson claimed he was in a separate room from Jacklyn when he heard a loud noise, subsequently finding her unresponsive and not breathing. Despite being the sole adult present with the child, Thompson asserted he had no knowledge of how Jacklyn sustained her injuries.
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The extensive medical examination provided crucial evidence. On September 1, 2022, the Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Jacklyn’s cause of death was traumatic injuries to her torso, including a severing of her spine and internal bleeding behind her abdomen. The report meticulously detailed that the severity and nature of the break indicated Thompson had applied “significant, gradual force to the victim’s upper and lower body and bent her backward beyond her natural range of motion until her back broke.”
Thompson was subsequently arrested and charged. The successful prosecution of this harrowing case was led by Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Sasha Kidney, with critical support from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the dedicated medical professionals involved.
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