OCOEE, Fla. — After deliberating for fewer than two hours a jury delivered guilty verdicts in the Ocoee home invasion case against Bessman Okafor and Nolan Bernard.
The jury found each man guilty of nine charges related to the violent home invasion.
Jurors began deliberating Wednesday afternoon in the high-profile case.
The pair was accused of robbing four people at gunpoint in an Ocoee home, and then tying them up.
The two defendants have different lawyers, who presented their closing arguments Wednesday.
The state told the jury Wednesday morning that the evidence is strong against Okafor and Bernard.
Prosecutors said the evidence is strong due to witness identification, the fact that both were caught with the victims' stolen property and because Okafor ran when police caught up to him only about an hour after the 2012 home invasion.
"This is not a matter of the wrong place, wrong time. They're here because they chose to commit the crime," said prosecutor Gary Malak.
Okafor's attorney, Joseph Haynes Davis, tried to convince the jury that the Ocoee police officer and the victims gave conflicting testimony, and reminded them not to penalize Okafor for not taking the stand.
"He does not have to say one word. The state has to prove everything. Mr. Okafor has to prove nothing," said Davis.
Home invasion victim Brienna Campos says Bernard's first guilty verdict was a good sign to her.
"As soon as I heard that first guilty I knew it was going to be guilty following it through the next suspect," she said.
The two men are expected to be sentenced in about three weeks. And both face possible life sentences in state prison.
Brandon Campos, a victim in the home invasion said he will be on hand for the sentencing.
"I'm definitely there to hear how long they're going away. I'll be there," said Brandon Campos.
The home invasion trial was pushed back after investigators said Okafor and his friends killed the star witness, Alex Zaldivar.
Prosecutors said Okafor was behind the killing, but that couldn't be brought up during the home invasion trial.
Okafor goes to trial next year for Zaldivar's death.
WFTV
