Story highlights Quinton Tellis was charged with capital murder two years after the killing

Jessica Chambers died a day after firefighters found her in a burning car in 2014

(CNN) A judge declared a mistrial Monday, October 16, in the case of a Mississippi teenager who was burned to death three years ago. The jury failed to reach a verdict.

Quinton Tellis, 29, was charged with capital murder because 19-year-old Jessica Chambers' death in December 2014 occurred during the commission of another crime, third-degree arson.

Quinton Verdell Tellis

If convicted, Tellis could have faced life in prison after prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. Tellis, who was charged in 2016 while he was in prison on an unrelated charge, did not take the stand in his own defense in the trial that started October 9.

Jessica Chambers

There appeared to be confusion among jurors before the judge declared the mistrial. The jury said it had reached a verdict and the court clerk read the not-guilty verdict recorded on a piece of paper. But at the prosecution's request, the judge polled the jury, and most jurors said their vote was guilty.

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