MORRISON, Ill., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- An Illinois jury found suspected serial killer Nicholas Sheley guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday with six more homicide charges pending.
The jury of eight men and four women deliberated less than three hours before finding the 33-year-old guilty of killing a 93-year-old northern Illinois man in June 2008.
A forensic pathologist testified the victim had been struck at least 18 times and died from blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest. His body was stuffed into his car trunk, which Sheley then took, leading police on a high-speed chase before escaping.
Sheley has already been convicted of one murder in Galesburg in northwestern Illinois in 2008 and is serving a life sentence.
He is also facing trial on for six other murders in Illinois and Missouri.
Twice, Sheley has gone free on legal technicalities. In 2006, he was freed from jail after a key witness in an armed robbery and home invasion case refused to testify against him.
In 2007, he was released while facing home invasion charges due to an Illinois law requiring trials within 120 days of being charged.
