ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Paroled child killer Arthur Shawcross was found guilty Thursday of murdering 10 Rochester area women during a two- year spree that gripped the city in fear.
The jury deliberated 6 hours before convicting Shawcross on 10 counts of second-degree murder. Defense attorney Thomas Cocuzzi said he would appeal.
Under New York state law, each second-degree murder conviction carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Sentencing was set for Feb. 1.
He is expected to stand trial on an 11th murder charge in neighboring Wayne County.
Most of the 11 dead women were prostitutes.
'All these girls, regardless of what they were or who they were, deserve a little satisfaction. I know Maria can rest peacefully now,' said Jim Miller, boyfriend of victim Maria Welch.
Shawcross stared straight ahead and showed no emotion as the jury foreman read the verdict.
Shawcross had confessed to the crimes in written and videotaped statements, but defense lawyers tried to convince the jury during the 11-week trial that Shawcross was insane and not responsible for his actions.
A key defense witness said he suffered from multiple personalities, child abuse and post-traumatic stress sydrome after a military stint in the Vietname War.
In his confession, Shawcross said he killed mostly out of anger. He said he killed one prostitute because she made fun of his sexual prowess, another because she broke the gearshift on his wife's car and a third because she told him she knew who he was and was going to tell police.
According to his statements, while police were looking for the women's murderer in late 1989 and early 1990, Shawcross calmly discussed the case with police at a local doughnut shop.
Shawcross committed the crimes after being paroled from state prison in 1987 where he had served 14 years on a manslaughter charge for the death of a Watertown child.
After his release, public pressure forced him to move out of both Binghamton and a rural Catskills town. Parole officials then resettled him in the Rochester area where he married and was employed as a salad maker at a local food service firm.
'I was just glad (the conviction) was murder not manslaughter. They should have done that 15 years ago, ' said Welch's mother, Liz Mignary.
