TAMPA, Fla. — A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. The trial will proceed to the penalty phase starting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

Ritchie did not take the stand to testify in his own defense. He showed no emotion as the verdict was being read Wednesday, or after it was read.

The state rested its case Monday after a week of testimony, and prosecutors made their arguments as to why they believe Ritchie murdered 9-year-old Felecia Williams in 2014. 

The defense took only Tuesday to present its case. 

The defense challenged several pieces of evidence and seemed to try to pin Felecia's death on someone else. 

And while he did not take the stand himself, Ritchie's attorneys told the jury there is no evidence to show Felecia Williams was in fact raped. 

Also, the defense brought in a former medical examiner, Dr. William Anderson, to testify that Williams may not have been strangled. 

Closing argumetns have ended and the jury has began deliberating. 

 

 

The judge advised jury members to bring a change of clothes in case they do not reach a decision Wednesday and have to be sequestered.