A high-ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas was sentenced to life in prison without parole for torturing, killing and burning a man who owed him $600.

Michael Lynn Rogers (Dallas County jail )

Michael Lynn Rogers, 48, was convicted Friday of capital murder for the torture killing of 34-year-old Alberto Gonzalez.

He received an automatic sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

While the verdict was read, more than 15 bailiffs were in the courtroom to ensure that jurors were able to leave the courthouse safely. Family and friends of Rogers filled the gallery.

Before delivering the verdict, members of the Dallas County jury asked if their names would be made public.

One man testified during the trial that he was afraid of Rogers and believes the white supremacist gang wants to have him killed for testifying against the defendant, who is known as "Texas Mike."

He said Rogers is second-in-command of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas in the North Texas region.

Alberto Gonzalez

Gonzalez was killed at Rogers' house in the 1000 block of Toronto Street near Singleton Boulevard in West Dallas.

His body was dumped and set on fire next to a pond in the 1500 block of West Hunter Ferrell Road in July 2016.

Gonzalez had been beaten, hit with a hammer, sexually assaulted with a broom handle, slapped with a machete and worked over with a power drill, court records show.

During a police interview, Rogers downplayed his role in Gonzalez's slaying, pointing to other people who were in his house at the time.

Gregory Collier, 29, and John Paul Street, 33, have both been charged with murder in Gonzalez's slaying. They were among a handful of people at the house the night he was killed and were present when his body was dumped in Irving.

Collier, nicknamed "Gator," received a 10-year sentence for a reduced kidnapping charge as part of a plea agreement. He testified against Rogers.

A trial date has not been set for Street's case.

Gregory Collier (Dallas County jail )

Defense attorney Stephen Duplantis argued that Street, a member of the White Knights, was the primary actor in Gonzalez's slaying. Duplantis said investigators had "tunnel vision" and arrested Rogers in a "rush to judgment."

Gonzalez was not affiliated with either of the white supremacist gangs. He had gone to Rogers' house to buy drugs. While Gonzalez was there, Rogers accused him of stealing $600.

Collier explained that the group at Rogers' house, which included a member of the primarily Hispanic gang Tango Blast, did not discuss Aryan Brotherhood business. He said they were all there for drugs.

He said Aryan members aren't opposed to hanging out with members of other gangs, which have primarily minority members. He said money brings them together.

"Only thing that matters is green," he said.

Collier and his girlfriend, Shelvie Spriggs, were both at the house when Rogers started hitting Gonzalez. Both testified that Rogers was mad about his missing wallet. They said that eventually, Rogers agreed to let Gonzalez mow his lawn for a month to pay off the debt.

The disagreement settled down, and everyone used methamphetamines together.

But after a while, Rogers grew angry again about his stolen money.

That's when Street grabbed a hammer and bashed Gonzalez's legs, authorities say. Collier said he also kicked Gonzalez and then hit him on the head with a beer bottle.

Collier said Rogers and Street were the ones who got more violent toward Gonzalez. At one point, they used a hot spoon to singe Gonzalez's face.

Spriggs said she could hear Rogers demanding to know where his wallet was while Gonzalez was "crying out for help."

"You've got the wrong person," Gonzalez said, according to Spriggs.

At one point, Rogers said he couldn't let Gonzalez leave the house alive, Spriggs and Collier said.

Rogers went into his bedroom to get a drill and took it into the kitchen, where Gonzalez was incapacitated on the floor. That's when Collier heard drilling sounds.

Gonzalez had four holes drilled in his head, one in his chest and one in his abdomen.

Once Gonzalez was dead, Collier said, the group called another person with a truck to help them dispose of the body. They put Gonzalez's body into a toolbox and drove to the dumpsite at the pond.

During a recorded police interview, Rogers said the "White Knight guy" was to blame for a lot of the abuse.

Rogers said, in hindsight, he wished he had called the cops. He said he always felt bad for Gonzalez because he had a "speeching problem."

"I'm big-hearted with people like that," Rogers said.

Prosecutors Tommy Adams and Dewey Mitchell said Gonzalez's death is likely being used by the Aryan Brotherhood as an example that, "People don't owe us debts. People don't steal from us."

"They operate in fear," Mitchell argued.