Yesterday (Jan 4), Austin SMILEY (42) entered a plea of guilty to Second Degree Murder (F1 PBL) and Sale or Delivery of a Controlled Substance (F2), as part of a plea agreement for his role in the 2018 drug delivery death of Jon Wiggins II (46). Circuit Judge Debra Nelson accepted the plea, and sentenced SMILEY to eight (8) years in the Department of Corrections on each charge (to be served concurrently), followed by seven (7) years of supervised probation, court costs, and other fees.

Several members of the Wiggins family were in attendance for the sentencing, including his mother, brother, and sister-in-law, who read impact statements to the Court. In response, Judge Nelson also ordered that a photo of Wiggins, copied from one that a family member brought to the sentencing, be sent with the defendant to the Department of Corrections and be placed in his cell for the duration of his incarceration.

In a statement after the sentencing, Assistant State Attorney Mitchell Ruark said, "I'm thankful this outcome has provided some closure to the Wiggins family, and that Mr. SMILEY will be seeing Jon's photo each and every day he wakes up in prison."

On September 11, 2018 a Seminole County Grand Jury indicted SMILEY for First Degree Murder. However, SMILEY fled to avoid facing prosecution and had remained a fugitive until his arrest on January 27, 2019, in Volusia County.