GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – Gary McCray did something uncharacteristic as a Clay County jury found him guilty of four counts of first-degree murder -- he sat quietly.
It took a little more than an hour Friday morning for the jury to reach its verdict and convict McCray of killing Phillip Perrotta, 53, John Whitehead, 37, John Oliver Ellis Jr., 51, and Robin Selkirk, 45, in a Orange Park house in 2004. Each was shot with a high-powered semiautomatic weapon.
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Prosecutors said the slayings were drug-related, as three of the four victims were arrested along with McCray in a previous drug raid at that same house.
The trial was delayed for years when McCray was not found competent to stand trial. When it finally began in July, it was interrupted several times by outbursts from McCray, who threatened and tried to fire his attorney, lectured Judge William Wilkes and repeatedly interrupted proceedings.
At least twice he was removed from the courtroom by bailiffs.
The families of the victims who had endured the repeated delays in bringing McCray to justice told Channel 4 they were satisfied with the verdict, but it does not ease the pain.
Prosecutors said they will seek the death sentence when the penalty phase of the trial begins on Sept. 26.
Antha Whitehead, the daughter of one of the victims who attended every day of the trial, said she has decided to testify in the penalty phase.
"I for a while I thought that I wanted him to sit in a cell and think about what he's done, but throughout this whole thing, he clearly has no remorse," Whitehead said. "I believe that the death penalty will definitely take care of that."
Previous Stories:
- September 4, 2008: Defendant Kicked Out Of Court After Taking Stand
- September 3, 2008: Murder Trial Resumes Without Incident
- September 2, 2008: Murder Trial Restarts With More Fireworks
- July 29, 2008: Quadruple Murder Trial Delayed, Again
- July 28, 2008: Bailiffs Pull Quadruple Murder Defendant From Courtroom
- December 7, 2006: Man Ruled Competent To Stand Trial In 4 Killings
- February 2, 2006: Judge: Man Accused Of Killing 4 In Orange Park Not Competent
- August 17, 2004: North Florida Man Charged In Quadruple Homicide