By admin 
A Lexington man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison with no possibility of parole for murder, according to a news release from the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
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Scott M. Horton, 59, was convicted June 19 of beating his common-law wife Patricia Smerdell to death, the release said.
According to the release, the murder happened more than six years ago on June 20, 2020, at Horton and Smerdell’s home. When Horton called 911 to say his wife was not breathing, police found she had numerous bruises and had been dead for several hours.
Horton’s story of when he found his wife was inconsistent, and pathologist determined Smerdell’s injuries did not indicate a fall and that her death was a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head, the release said.
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Evidence at trial showed there were no signs of a break-in and that the couple had a history of civil disputes, which police were called to twice in 2017 and 2018. A neighbor testified the couple frequently argued, the release said.
According to the release, Horton was immediately transferred to the S.C. Department of Corrections and began serving his sentence.
The presiding judge was Debra McCaslin. Suzanne Mayes and Jordan Cox prosecuted the case.
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