A Marion County jury found 38-year-old Kevin Thomas McDonough guilty of domestic battery by strangulation after watching video and photographs that prosecutors say show him pinning and choking his partner until a child rushed in and yelled at him to stop. The one-day trial ended with a judge ordering McDonough to serve five years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Deputies said the victim had previously handed over photos of neck injuries and a recording that helped secure an arrest warrant and ultimately led to his booking after what prosecutors described as a heated argument at a Marion County residence.
According to the Office of the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, jurors returned the guilty verdict on March 24, 2026, after a single day of testimony, and the judge immediately imposed the five-year prison sentence. The office credited Assistant State Attorneys Lillian Rozsa and James Moody with trying the case and said the outcome reflected sustained work by prosecutors and investigators.
What the evidence showed
Investigators said the victim provided photographs and a video that appear to show McDonough lunging over her, seizing her throat with both hands, and continuing to choke her even after she collapsed to the floor. The attack, according to that account, stopped only when a minor child ran into the room and shouted at him to stop. Deputies obtained an arrest warrant for McDonough on Aug. 27, 2025, and he was arrested shortly afterward, according to Ocala-News.
Why the charge matters
Under Florida law, domestic battery by strangulation is a third-degree felony that can carry up to five years in prison, according to the Florida Statutes. A conviction for a qualifying domestic violence offense can also trigger federal firearms prohibitions under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), the Department of Justice explains, meaning a person convicted under those provisions may be barred from possessing guns.
The State Attorney’s release said the jury’s swift verdict underscored the strength of the video and photographic evidence and credited the investigation with uncovering both the images and the recording that helped secure the conviction. Survivors and witnesses seeking help can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or connect with victim services through the Fifth Judicial Circuit’s resources.
