Jury selection in the case began Feb. 15. The verdict was returned Friday.
Jason Beck, who served on the jury, said that initially the panel was split 6-6.
"We reviewed the heinous evidence the state presented, and while there may not have been enough direct evidence for a first-degree murder conviction, there was ample evidence for a guilty verdict on the sexual assault charges. We wanted justice for the victim, and are pleased with the judge's sentence,” Beck said, noting, “It took almost seven hours of reviewing the DNA evidence, revisiting the timeline of events presented by witnesses and considering lies the defendant told during police interviews to all agree on a verdict."