A Nassau County jury on Friday found a teenager guilty of first-degree murder in the death of a 71-year-old Orange Park man more than two years ago.
Adam Hoover was 16 years old when he shot and killed James Edwards in the back of the head during a carjacking on Amelia Island in May 2000.
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The jury deliberated only about three hours before finding Hoover guilty of murder, carjacking, robbery and kidnapping.
"This young man who once said 'you can't do nothing to me, I'm just a kid,' will spend the rest of his life incarcerated for what he has done," Edward's widow, Jean, said.
Hoover and two accomplices were arrested two days after the murder, driving the victim's SUV at Huguenot Park. Both accomplices pleaded guilty in the case and have testified against Hoover during the trial.
Hoover's family was in court and cried after the verdict as read. While they didn't want to talk Friday, his step-father had previously told Channel 4 that Adam was repeatedly in trouble as a teenager, and had showed no interest in changing his ways.
Because of the age of the defendant, prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.