A 20-year-old man convicted earlier this year of robbing, beating and stabbing a 65-year-old woman was officially sentenced to death.

The jury that found Randall Deviney guilty of first-degree murder in the 2008 death of Delores Futrell had voted 10-2 for the death penalty, but Judge Mallory Cooper formally sentenced Deviney on Friday.

Deviney's parents -- who were convicted of murder themselves in the death of Deviney's older brother -- said their son had a tough life and had asked that his life be spared.

During the trial, prosecutors told the jury that Deviney killed Futrell in a fit of rage when she brought up his criminal past. At the time of the murder, Deviney was out of jail awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to burglary.

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Futrell's family had testified that there was no excuse for the killing of their loved one.

Futrell was disabled neighbor of the Deviney family and baby-sat for Randall Deviney when he was a child.

"When the defendant was younger, Delores Futrell would bake cookies and have the defendant and his siblings over to her house," Cooper said when announcing sentence.

Futrell's relatives call this a long and difficult process and are glad it is over.

"Even though it's been two years, it still rips a hole in us every time we have to go through this," said Debra Wright, the victim's sister.

Because this is a death-penalty conviction, Deviney's trial and sentencing will receive an automatic review.

Previous Story:

• March 19, 2010: Jury Recommends Death For Young Killer
• March 4, 2010: Man Guilty Of Killing 65-Year-Old Woman
• September 1, 2008: DNA Evidence Leads To Victim's Neighbor
• August 6, 2008: Police Suspect Foul Play In Woman's Death