Richard Conte on Day 1 of his Capital Murder Trial. (Photo: Lisa Hutson, KTHV)
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Timeline of Conte case:
Jan. 18, 2013 - Jury finds Conte guilty on both counts of capital murder
Jan. 15, 2013 – Conte slated to go on trial
Jan. 10, 2013 – 12 jurors, 2 alternates chosen in Conte trial
Oct. 26, 2012 – Conte was put under under house arrest
Apr. 2012 - Judge denied motion to dismiss murder charges
Dec. 8, 2011 – Death penalty was taken off the table for Conte
Oct. 2011 – Conte was extradited to Faulkner County
Aug. 28, 2011 - Conte finished 9 years of a 15-year kidnapping sentence in Nevada and was released from prison.
Aug. 26, 2011 – Conte was charged with two counts of capital murder.
2007 – Police gave case and evidence to Prosecuting Attorney Marcus Vaden.
2003 – Police found downloaded a map of the city of Conway on Conte’s computer among other pieces of evidence.
June 2002 – Conte kidnapped his ex-wife, Lark Gathright-Elliott, who was once married to Carl Elliott.
May 18, 2002 - Carter Elliott and Timothy Wayne Robertson were found shot to death in Conway.
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CONWAY, Ark. (KTHV) - Just before 4:30 p.m. Friday, a jury found Richard Conte guilty on two counts of capital murder.
Conte was on trial for killing Carter Elliott and Timmy Wayne Robertson on the night of May 18, 2002.
All week they had been waiting, the families of Elliott and Robertson, and Friday it was time for the jury to make a decision.
"It's hard sitting in there. It's been a long time coming. We want the jury to come back with the right verdict. They gave it to the jury so we're just going to wait on them and maybe both families will have some closure," said Jayson Robertson, the brother of Timmy Wayne.
After only 35 minutes of deliberation, all twelve jurors had agreed. Richard Conte was guilty of two counts of capital murder.It was a verdict Elliott's son Trey had been waiting for.
"I'm so thankful this has been almost 11 years this may that my father was murdered and Timmy Wayne and today I can go home with a smile on my face knowing that the man who committed these murders will never get out of jail," said Elliott.
The Faulkner County Prosecutor in 2002 reportedly did not think he had enough evidense to charge Conte but in 2011, Prosecutor Cody Hiland took up the case. Much of the evidence had already been destroyed and no physical evidence tying Conte to the crime scene was found.
MORE DETAILS: Conte Trial Day 3: Former cell mates of Conte's testifies
MORE DETAILS: Conte Trial Day 2: Witness discusses Conte's fantasy military story
MORE DETAILS: Conte Trial Day 1: Timeline of events presented in the case
Background Stories on This Case:
Former doctor to stand trial in 2 Ark. slayings
Jury selection to begin in Conte double murder trial
Judge grants man release before Conway murder trial
Judge denies motion to dismiss order in Conway murder trial
Ark judge considers murder charge dismissal motion
Trial postponed in Conway double murder case
Hearing delayed in murder case of former doctor