A Michigan groundskeeper who was accused of raping a teen and killing her while he was out on bond has been convicted of first-degree murder.

Quinn James, 43, was found guilty of strangling Mujey Dumbuya on Thursday in Grand Rapids.

Mujey had accused James, a maintenance worker at the girl's school, of sexually assaulting her at multiple locations in Kent County during the summer of 2017 when she was 15.

Months later in January 2018, the then-16-year old's partially-clothed body was found in a wooded area of Kalamazoo, about 50 miles southeast of her Grand Rapids-area home.

Authorities say James killed the girl while free on a $100,000 cash bond in the sexual assault case so that she wouldn't be able to testify against him at trial.

He was found guilty of four counts of criminal sexual conduct in December and was sentenced to 20 to 30 years in prison.

His sentencing in the murder conviction is scheduled for March 25. He faces a maximum of life in prison.

Quinn James, 43, (left) was convicted of first degree murder in the January 2018 slaying of 16-year-old Mujey Dumbuya in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday. Authorities say James had raped Mujey when she was 15 and then killed her so she wouldn't be able to testify against him at trial

Mujey (above) had accused James, a maintenance worker at the girl's school, of raping her at multiple locations in Kent County during the summer of 2017

Authorities say James killed the girl while free on a $100,000 cash bond in the sexual assault case so that she wouldn't be able to testify against him at trial

Mujey mother, Fatmata Corne (center) is comforted by her sisters, Najah Konneh (left) and Jainya Sannoh (right) after the jury handed down the guilty verdict on Thursday

After the verdict was read, Mujey's aunt, Janya Sannoh, expressed relief that her niece's case 'did not go cold' and thanked the law enforcement agencies that helped bring James to justice.

'The truth is the truth,' Sannoh said outside the courtroom. 'It's like putting a bright light in a dark room. Whatever it is, is gonna come out. The truth did come out.'

She added: 'He's not going to hurt another girl. No other family should go through this because of him.'

Prosecutors laid out the evidence implicating James - including DNA, surveillance footage, witness statements and car rental documents - over six days of testimony in Grand Rapids.

'He preyed on this little girl for sex and when it became a problem, he eliminated her,' Kent County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kellee Koncki told the jury.

The defense tried to explain away each piece of evidence by providing innocent explanations.

Attorney Johnathan Schildgen alleged that the prosecution's case was merely 'theory and speculation based on the fact they think they have a powerful motive'.

Mujey's partially-clothed body was found in a wooded area of Kalamazoo, about 50 miles southeast of her Grand Rapids-area home, in January 2018

Prosecutors laid out the evidence implicating James - including DNA, surveillance footage and witness statements - over six days of testimony in Grand Rapids. Assistant Kent County Prosecutor Kellee Koncki is seen delivering her closing argument Wednesday

The defense tried to explain away each piece of evidence by providing innocent explanations. Attorney Johnathan Schildgen (above on Wednesday) alleged that the prosecution's case was merely 'theory and speculation based on the fact they think they have a powerful motive'

After the guilty verdict was read on Thursday, Mujey's aunt, Janya Sannoh, spoke to reporters outside the courtroom. She expressed relief that her niece's case 'did not go cold'

Sannoh said: 'The truth is the truth. It's like putting a bright light in a dark room. Whatever it is, is gonna come out. The truth did come out.' She is seen embracing Prosecutor Kellee Koncki

Mujey had been scheduled to testify against James at trial in April 2018, but went missing on January 24 after failing to catch the school bus.

She was found dead of asphyxiation four days later.

James was arrested on an unrelated sexual assault charge on February 1. His bond was increased to $250,000 after Mujey's death.

'When I set the $100,000 bond, Dumbuya was alive,' Kentwood District Judge William Kelly said during his sexual assault trial.

James was employed by East Kentwood Public Schools in 2011 despite an extensive criminal career that included convictions for armed robbery and possession of a weapon as a prisoner.

The school insisted they did not have access his criminal record as a juvenile.