almost a year after the shooting death of 37 year old Brice Hilton of Farrell came the verdict convicting his killer.

"This isn't just a robbery, this was an execution," said Trumbull County Prosecutor Gabe Wildman to the jury before returning that verdict. They found 18 year old Gavin Roberts guilty of aggravated murder and robbery, and not guilty of aggravated burglary on Wednesday.

Prosecutors tried Roberts, who was 17 at the time of the murder last November, as an adult.
He and Hilton met in Warren to sell Hilton a cell phone.
As Hilton tried to leave after the deal went south, "Gavin pulled the gun out and shot him one time, and continued to stand over him and shoot him two more times, then walked around him and searched his pockets," said Wildman.

Now, Roberts will be at least 41 before he could even have the chance for parole - a chance prosecutors are working to see he doesn't get.

"The conviction on the aggravated murder charge, the felony murder, carries with it the potential for life with no parole, which we're going to ask the judge to impose," said Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker, adding that the jury didn't agree with an alternative theory that Roberts committed the murder with prior calculation and design.

Nevertheless, Becker said, "we're very satisfied with this jury's verdict. As you can see, this defendant is a cold, calculated killer."

Hilton's family didn't want to comment.
So far there's been no sentencing date set for Roberts.