Woman, 56, convicted of murdering boyfriend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 56-year-old Jacksonville woman was convicted Thursday afternoon in the 2012 murder of her 57-year-old boyfriend.

Maria Bratton was found guilty of second-degree murder for killing Cecil Scroggie.

In June 2012, Bratton ran to a neighbor's house to get help after she shot and killed Scroggie. The couple was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the shooting.

When police arrived, Bratton told officers she shot the victim in self-defense. Bratton then began changing and adding things to her story, which did not match physical evidence at the scene, prosecutors said.

The evidence showed Bratton had beaten, shot and strangled Scroggie.

Bratton faces life in prison and is now listed as a 10-20-life offender. She will be sentenced the week of Sept. 23.