ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A jury on Friday afternoon found a man guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery in connection with the death of a Winter Park nanny and personal assistant.
Investigators said Scott Nelson kidnapped Jennifer Fulford from a Winter Park home where she worked, killed her and dumped her body in a wooded area in 2017.
Read: ‘I wasn't planning on killing this woman:' Scott Nelson testifies in caregiver's death
"It was a long journey to get here, but finally some closure," a prosecutor said Friday. "Jennifer's story ends today with him being found guilty."
The verdict came one day after Nelson took the stand to detail what had happened on the day of the crime.
Nelson testified Thursday that he "wasn’t planning on killing" Fulford.
Nelson said he was going to shoot his probation officer, but he said God was looking out for the officer that day because he instead decided to use Fulford as "collateral damage."
The penalty phase will start Monday in the Scott Nelson case. They are allowed to go home over the weekend @WFTV @SButlerWFTV
— Samantha Manning (@SamManningNews) June 28, 2019
Verdict: guilty of first degree murder with a weapon, guilty of kidnapping, guilty of carjacking with a deadly weapon, guilty of robbery with a deadly weapon @WFTV @SButlerWFTV
— Samantha Manning (@SamManningNews) June 28, 2019
Jurors will be allowed to return home for the weekend, and the sentencing phase will begin Monday.
Nelson's attorneys will present evidence Monday to try and keep him off death row.
Read: 'I'm a serial killer,' says man accused of killing caregiver
They said they will bring in the doctors who evaluated Nelson and said he suffered head injuries as a child and suffers from depression.
Prosecutors said they will discount a mental illness diagnosis.
Fulford's husband declined to comment on the verdict.
Watch both parts of Nelson's testimony below:
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