A Houston judge on Wednesday sentenced a 27-year-old man to 70 years in prison in the 2009 decapitation of his grandfather in their Garden Oaks home.

Earlier in the day, state District Judge Brock Thomas deliberated about 20 minutes before finding Justin Wayne Parris guilty of murder for killing Johnnie Morales Gonzales.

Defense lawyers for Parris had argued that the 81-year-old was killed by one of his adult sons because he cut most of his offspring out of his will.

"Because of the lack of evidence, it could have been almost anyone who committed this offense," defense attorney Jerome Godinich told the judge in closing arguments. He said one of the victim's sons had previously been arrested for assaulting his father.

Prosecutors argued that two witnesses testified they had seen Parris attack Gonzales twice before the death.

The grandson was also found at the scene with blood on his clothes.

"The reason he had the victim's blood on his him is because it was a gruesome scene," said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Tameika Carter.

Parris' 12-year-old sister came home to find him pacing on the front porch about 4 p.m. Nov. 6, 2009.

She saw her grandfather's body covered in a blanket at the home in the 900 block of Lamonte and called 911.

Police found Gonzales had been stabbed and cut on his head, face and chest. He had also been decapitated. They also found a bloody trail to a long-handled tree pruner in the garage.

Parris was found with blood smears on his pants and shirt. He told police he covered the body with a blanket, but did not know what happened to his grandfather.

Instead of a jury trial, Parris opted for a judge to determine his fate. After the verdict, the judge began the punishment phase. Parris faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.