Volusia County man convicted of killing girlfriend collapses in court

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Volusia County man accused of killing his girlfriend and dumping her body in the Halifax River was found guilty of first-degree murder Thursday.

Jurors deliberated for more than six hours.

Thomas Prins could face life in prison in the of killing Crystal Pifer, 28, last August.%

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He collapsed in court shortly after the verdict was announced.

Prosecutors said Prins killed Pifer during an argument.

Around noon Thursday, jurors requested to hear the 911 call Prins made after Pifer disappeared.

In the call, Prins told a dispatcher that Pifer had taken his keys and jumped off the boat.

Jurors also listened to the key witness, James Wagner, whose boat Pifer swam to after she had a fight with Prins the night before she was found dead.%

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Wagner testified on Wednesday that Pifer appeared to be terrified of her boyfriend and  was crying hysterically.

“Did he say anything as he approached your boat?” asked the prosecutor.

Wagner said that Prins  had said, “Yeah, I got the engine running honey, get back on the boat.”

Pifer eventually did go back with Prins, but Wagner said when the boat went in to the dock, he heard Prins yell at Pifer, “Get off my (expletive) boat.”

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Cox Media Group