A North Little Rock man has been convicted of capital murder in the burning death of his girlfriend last year at their home and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
The jury in the trial of Matthew Nichols returned with its verdict at 10 a.m. a day after Nichols took the stand in his own defense, acknowledging he set Jessie McFadden on fire and doused her in gasoline but insisting that he meant to only to disfigure and not to kill her.
Nichols' attorneys contended that he should be found guilty of a lesser charge than capital murder because the act was not premeditated.
But, prosecutors said, Nichols threatened to burn McFadden and the house on at least two occasions in the days before the May 20, 2013, killing.
McFadden, who suffered burns on more than 90 percent of her body, died at the hospital that same day.
Judge Wendell Griffen addressed the court after the verdict was read and offered condolences to the family and friends of McFadden.
"The death of any person is always a tragedy," he said. "The trial of this case has been difficult for everyone."
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for more on this story.
