BRIDGEPORT — A man has been convicted of killing and dismembering his college student girlfriend after a third trial.
Jermaine Richards was convicted of murder Friday after four hours of jury deliberations over two days.
The remains of Alyssiah Wiley, a 20-year-old Eastern Connecticut State University student, were found in Trumbull, about a month after she was last seen with Richards outside her Willimantic dorm in April 2013.
Two previous trials had ended with deadlocked juries.
The 34-year-old Richards denies killing Wiley. His lawyers pointed to the lack of physical evidence showing where or how she died.
Wiley’s family and friends testified Richards was jealous, possessive and had been physically violent with her. They told the jury she had planned to end their relationship.
Following Friday’s verdict, Wiley’s mother, Corrinna Martin, described feeling a sense of relief.
“It’s done. This part, the chapter of our life is complete and we had the outcome that we wanted, that we deserved, that Alyssisah deserves,” Martin said after waiting through three trials and four years for a verdict.
Martin went on to say she hopes her daughter will continued to be remembered for the young woman that she was.
“A very hard working vibrant, vivacious hard working young woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. One who is beautiful not on the outside only but truly remarkably beautiful on the inside and one who will be very missed,” Martin said filled with tears and emotion.
Richards’ bond was raised Friday to $5 million. He is scheduled to be sentenced October 27th.
