Eddie Ray Routh has been found guilty of capital murder for the shooting deaths of “American Sniper” Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield.

Eddie Ray Routh Convicted

The Erath County jury, after hearing nine days of testimony – including from Kyle’s surviving wife Taya Kyle – deliberated for only 2 1/2 hours Tuesday before finding Routh guilty of capital murder for killing Kyle and Littlefield at a Texas gun range, reported the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Judge Jason Cashson delivered the verdict at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Routh, 27, received a life sentence without the possibility for parole. The prosecutors in the case did not seek the death penalty, negating the need for the jury to reach a separate sentencing verdict.

Routh’s defense attorneys Warren St. John, Tim Moore and Shay Isham tried to convincingly argue that Routh was not guilty by reason of insanity. In order for the claim to hold up in the court of law, they had to prove that Routh was suffering from a mental illness or defect, and that he did not know what he doing was wrong when he shot and killed Kyle and Littlefield.

On Feb. 2, 2013, Kyle and Littlefield brought Routh, a troubled Marine veteran, to a shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge in Iredell, Texas in an effort to help him cope with PTSD. Never having met the young man, they hoped to be able to forge a bond and help him acclimate to life outside the war zone. In the midst of the exercise, Routh shot Kyle six times, and Littlefield at least five times.

Before he died, decorated Navy SEAL Kyle penned a memoir about his multiple tours in Iraq. Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, which stars Bradley Cooper, is loosely based on the events described in the book. It’s brought in more than $300 million at the box office.