Inset: Anthony Worley (Bay County Jail). Background: The Lagoon Motel in Panama City, Florida, where Worley assaulted his girlfriend (Google Maps).
A man from Georgia is facing prison time following a brutal attack on his girlfriend, which resulted in her suffering a broken nose and fractured eye socket. The violent incident was triggered by his anger over a compliment she received on her appearance at a motel in Florida.
Anthony Wayne Worley, age 62, will serve a four-year prison sentence, with credit for the 381 days he has already spent in custody, as documented in court records. Last month, a jury found him guilty of aggravated battery, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment, according to a press release from the Bay County State Attorney’s Office.
The altercation took place on October 12, 2024, at the Lagoon Motel in Panama City, as previously reported by Law&Crime. Prosecutors revealed that other motel guests overheard the victim’s urgent pleas for help. A bystander witnessed her shouting “help me” and “I’m trying to leave” while Worley restrained her by the arm and neck.
According to prosecutors, the victim attempted to flee the motel room but was forcibly pulled back by Worley. Fortunately, a good Samaritan intervened, assisting her in escaping to safety. This individual prevented Worley from pursuing her and offered refuge in his room until law enforcement arrived.
Emergency responders transported the woman to the hospital, where she required immediate surgery to address her severe facial injuries.
During the trial, the victim recounted that she and Worley, her boyfriend of six months, were in the area searching for a new home. While they were drinking, an unsolicited compliment about her looks sparked Worley’s rage, leading to a heated argument. She expressed her intention to return to Georgia, as noted in the press release. In response, Worley violently assaulted her, suffocated her with a pillow, and brandished a loaded firearm.
“I got one bullet for you and one bullet for me,” he told her.
Jurors convicted Worley in January after about an hour of deliberating. Prosecutor Jackson White credited the motel guest who intervened to help the victim.
“But for the brave actions of the Good Samaritan responding to her screams for help, there is no way to know what would have happened if the defendant had gotten her back into that room,” White said in a statement. “Because of his help, we do know the man who beat and threatened to shoot the victim is now facing prison time.”
