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Man guilty of murdering girlfriend after three trials

After three trials, a jury finally found a man guilty of murdering and dismembering his girlfriend in 2013.

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By
Rob Polansky
BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT — After three trials, a jury finally found a man guilty of murdering and dismembering his girlfriend in 2013.

Jermaine Richards was convicted of killing his girlfriend, Alyssiah Wiley.

"It doesn't bring my baby back," said Corrinna Martin, Wiley's mother. "Today is a bittersweet day. But it is also one that I believe is well-deserved."

Prosecutors said she was last seen getting into his car on the campus of Eastern Connecticut State University.

Her body was found a mile and a half away from Richards' home in Trumbull about a month later. Her cell phone had also been "pinged" from a cell tower near that location.

The jury began deliberating on Thursday. They deliberated for two hours, then returned on Friday to finish.

At issue was the fact that police never found a murder weapon or were able to determine how Wiley died.

However, prosecutors said jewelry belonging to Wiley was found in a trash bag in Richards' basement.

Prosecutors argued that Richards killed Wiley because she had broken up with him.

Richards maintains his innocence.

This was Richard's third trial.

The previous two in this case resulted in deadlocked juries.

"Not just the past four years, the past month have been devastating for my family and I," Martin said. "But by the grace of God, we're here and preferably this will be one of many more victories to come.

Richards is being held on a $5 million bond.

He'll be sentenced at a later date.

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