Former Marine Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty in the double murder of famed Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and Kyle’s friend Chad Littlefield. The Erath County, Texas jury of 10 women and two men rejected the insanity defence Tuesday evening in a deliberation that lasted less than two hours.

The conviction of  Eddie Ray Routh for capital murder by the State District Judge Jason Cashon will send Routh to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The death sentence was not sought by the prosecutors in the case. Routh’s official sentence will come in a later court hearing, but his defense team has already said they will appeal the conviction.

Routh pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for the murders of Kyle and Littlefield at a Texas gun range Feb. 2, 2013. His attorneys have argued that the former Marine had mental disorders and was suffering heavily from psychosis caused by post-traumatic stress disorder when he fatally shot Kyle and Littlefield. Routh showed no visible emotion or reaction in court as the guilty verdict against him was read. Kyle’s brother and parents were among a group of the victims’ families and friends who cried while they held hands. They did not issue a statement.

Dueling testimony from mental health experts on the validity of Routh’s insanity plea when he committed the murders were presented by the prosecution and the defense during the nine day trial. Under Texas law, even if a person was suffering from a mental illness, they can be found guilty if it is found that they understood that their actions were wrong.

Littlefield’s mother, Judy Littlefield, was in attendance for the reading of the verdict. “We have waited two years for God to get justice on behalf of our son,” Judy told reporters outside the courthouse, “and as always, God has proven to be faithful, and we’re so thrilled that we have the verdict that we have tonight.”

Chris Kyle’s widow, Taya, was not present in the courtroom when the verdict was read. During the defence’s closing arguments earlier in the day, she had stormed out of the courtroom, muttering an expletive and slamming her hand on the wall as she exitted.

Jerry Richardson, Littlefield’s half-brother, told Routh that he “took the lives of two heroes, men who tried to be a friend to you, and you became an American disgrace.”