Matos convicted of quadruple-murder
NEW PORT RICHEY (FOX 13) - Three years after the murders of his ex-girlfriend Megan, her parents, and her new boyfriend, a jury took just a few hours to convict Adam Matos of the brutal killings.
Matos was convicted this afternoon on first-degree murder charges after a two-week-long trial.
In an unusual move, he took the stand in his own defense yesterday and admitted to the killings, which happened in Hudson back in August of 2014.
Matos claimed self-defense, explaining he felt like Megan, her boyfriend Nick Leonard, and her parents, Greggory and Margaret Brown, ganged up on him and felt like he was going to die.
But prosecutors – seeking the death penalty -- pointed out all the hours Matos spent cleaning the scene and dumping the bodies. They underscored the brutality of the murders in their closing arguments, telling the jury he beat Leonard so severely that he’s “not entitled to claim self-defense.”
They further said Matos’ testimony was "not credible and not supported by the evidence in this case” and shifted the focus back to jealousy as a motive.
Jurors apparently agreed. After receiving instructions from the judge this morning, they had convicted him on all four first-degree murder charges by 2:30 p.m.
Sentencing is set for Monday.
Stay with FOX 13 for more.