Markeith Loyd found guilty of first degree murder in killing of pregnant ex-girlfriend Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

AMONG AMERICA’S MOST WANTED. NOW, HE WILL WAIT TO SEE IF A JURY SPARES HIS LIFE. STEWART: WESH 2’S CHRIS GUARDARO WAS THERE FOR THE VERDICT AND TALKED TO SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS ON THE WAY OUT OF THE COURTHOUS CHRIS: AFTER YEARS OF WAITING FOR JUSTICE, SADE DIXON’S MOTHER AND FATHER WALKED OUT OF THESE DOORS OF THE ORANGE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, THRILLED. >> THE TRUTH CAME OUT. I’M ECSTATIC. >> WE’VE GOT TO GO HOME. CHRIS: MARKEITH LOYD SHOT AND KILLED DIXON IN 2016. SHE WAS HIS PREGNANT EX-GIRLFRIEND. HIS MURDER TRIAL TOOK A WEEK FOR BOTH PROSECUTORS AND HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TO ARGUE THEIR CASE. THE JURY TALKED FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE COMING BACK WITH A VERDICT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. >> WE THE JURY FIND AS FOLLOWS AS TO COUNT ONE OF THE CHARGE. THE DEFENDANT IS GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER. CHRIS: LOYD IS ALSO GUILTY OF FOUR OTHER FELONY COUNTS. >> THEY DID AN AWESOME JOB. THEY CAME BACK QUICKLY WITH THE RIGHT VERDICT. THEY SAW THROUGH THE DEFENSE’S SMOKESCREEN AND THEY SAW THE TRUTH. CHRIS: HIS DEFENSE LAWYER LEFT THE COURTHOUSE LESS TRIUMPHANT. >> HE’S A HUMAN BEING. I THINK THE DEATH PENALTY IS THE WRONG MESSAGE WE’RE SENDING T SOCIETY, AND I’M HOPING THIS JURY WILL GIVE HIM LIFE. CHRIS: LOYD IS ALSO ACCUSED OF KILLING ORLANDO POLICE LIEUTENANT DEBRA CLAYTON WHILE ON THE RUN FOR DIXON’S MURDER. THAT TRIAL WILL START NEXT YEAR. LOYD, WHO IS USUALLY VOCAL IN THE COURTROOM, WAS QUIET AND UNMOVED AS THE VERDICT WAS READ. IN ORANGE COUNTY, CHRIS GUARDARO, WESH 2 NEWS. STEWART: SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN THE CASE? THE PENALTY PHASE BEGINS MONDAY. JURORS WILL HEAR A WHOLE NEW ROUND OF TESTIMONY ABOUT WHETHER THERE ARE AGGRAVATING FACTORS THAT MEAN MARKEITH LOYD SHOULD BE PUT TO DEATH. THEY’LL THEN ENTER A NEW SET OF DELIBERATIONS, WHERE EVERY JUROR HAS TO AGREE TO THE DEATH PENALTY TO IMPOSE IT. IN THE MEANTIME, THEY’LL REMAIN SEQUESTERED AND ORDERED STAY SILENT ABOUT WHAT THEY’VE HEARD SO FAR. >> YOU ALL STILL ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THIS CASE AMONGST YOURSELVES UNTIL WE’RE DONE WITH THE PENALTY PHASE AND THERE’S A VERDICT THERE. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, OK? STEWART: THE JUDGE TOLD JURORS THEY WILL GET TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME PLANNED ACTIVITIES BETWEEN NOW AND MONDAY; SOME OF THEM OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE THEY’RE STAYING. WESH 2 NEWS GOT THE BREAKING NEWS TO YOUR PHONE WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF THAT VERDICT ANNOUNCEMENT THIS AFTERNOON. BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS ON THE WESH 2 MOBILE APP SO YOU’RE THE FIRST TO KNOW BIG DEVELOPMENTS, LIKE WHEN THE SENTENCING IS HANDED DOWN NEXT WE

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice