EVERETT, Wash. — The jury reached a verdict on Monday in the killing of 15-year-old Molly Conley.
Erick Walker, 28, was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of the Bishop Blanchet freshman as she walked along a road in Lake Stevens with friends on June 1, 2013.
Walker was charged with one count of first-degree murder. The jury was given the option to find him guilty of the far lesser charge of manslaughter.
Molly Conley's father, John, spoke after Walker's manslaughter conviction, saying his family was confused and "profoundly disappointed" with the verdict.
"It's her life, more than her death, that we hope people will remember, since it was her life that was so amazing," he said.
Watch raw video of John speaking about conviction here.
Watch raw video of John speaking about conviction here.
Walker will be sentenced on April 21.
The sentencing range is 65-80 years for a manslaughter and drive-by shooting/assault conviction.
The night Molly was killed, there were other drive-by shootings in Lake Stevens and Marysville.
Walker faced nine counts for those other shootings -- five counts of drive-by shooting and four counts of assault for potential victims inside those homes.
On Friday afternoon, the jury sent a note to the judge that they had reached a verdict on all but one count.
That one count was not revealed.
Judge Thomas Wynne was not willing to declare a mistrial at that point; he didn't feel the jury had spent enough time deliberating.
He instructed them to return Monday to keep working on the case. In all, jurors deliberated about nine hours before reaching a verdict Monday afternoon.
Walker's attorney says he will appeal the manslaughter conviction.
Susan Arskey, Molly's mother, said, "There is no win for anyone today."
"The hardest part for me, as a mother, is really realizing I don't get her back at the end of this," added Arksey.
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