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State District Judge Jason Cashon receives the verdict of guilty from the jury at the capital murder trial of former Marine Cpl. Eddie Ray Routh in Stephenville Texas, February 24, 2015. A jury found Roth guilty of murdering Chris Kyle, the former U.S. Navy SEAL whose autobiography was turned into the hit movie "American Sniper". REUTERS/Michael Ainsworth/Pool

Eddie Ray Routh has been found guilty of killing "American Sniper" Chris Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield. A U.S. court announced the judgement on Wednesday.

The announcement came from a Texas jury at around 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 (local time and date). The case was given to the jury at 7:36 p.m. E.T. Routh was sentenced to life in prison without parole as prosecutors had not asked for the death penalty. The 27-year-old admitted to killing both the victims at the shooting range of Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on Feb. 2, 2013.

State District Judge Jason Cashon asked the jury to make the announcement of the judgment after approximately three hours of arguments. Littlefield's mother, Judy, told reporters that the family had waited 2 years to get justice. "As always, God has proven to be faithful, and we're so thrilled that we have the verdict that we have tonight," she said.

Taya, Kyle’s widow, earlier stormed out of the courtroom during the closing arguments of the defence. She whispered an expletive and banged her hand on the wall while walking out of the courtroom. During that time, the attorneys were arguing how useful it could have been if the offender’s mother had told Kyle about her son’s history of violence.

Routh, however, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to capital murder. According to his attorneys, the former Marine corporal was in the grip of a medically diagnosed psychosis at the time of the killings. Prosecutors said that the convict had been drinking and smoking marijuana on the morning of the crime. Routh earlier served in Iraq but he did not perform in a combat role.

According to experts for the prosecution, Routh was aware what he was doing was wrong. Routh’s prosecutors argued that their client was paranoid as he was high. Routh was apparently frustrated about living with his parents, and has relationship and money problems. His frustration exploded when Kyle and Littlefield snubbed him, prosecutors argued.

Routh earlier told a reporter that what he had done tore his heart out. He said that he did not know why he had done it. However, he admitted that he had done it.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@IBTimes.com.au