Marine who shot dead American Sniper Chris Kyle and his friend declared guilty

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Eddie Ray Routh, 27, will spend life in prison after Tuesday evening verdict
Jury in Stephenville, Texas, took just over two hours to declare his guilt
Routh gunned down most famous U.S. veteran in a generation in 2013
Kyle and a friend, Chad Littlefield, had taken Routh to a Dallas gun range
They were trying to help him overcome PTSD when he turned on them
Gunned down Littlefield then turned on Kyle, whom he shot six times
Jurors heard tearful testimony from Kyle's heartbroken widow, Taya
Trial comes after American Sniper movie about Kyle honored at Oscars
Routh opened fire at gun range in Dallas on Kyle and Chad Littlefield
Defense tried to argue Routh was insane at the time of the shooting
Jury rejected defense - leaving life in prison the only possible sentence

By Lydia Warren and Kieran Corcoran For Dailymail.com

Published: 22:21 EST, 24 February 2015 | Updated: 01:59 EST, 25 February 2015

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The former Marine who gunned down American Sniper Chris Kyle in cold blood will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of his murder.

Eddie Ray Routh, 27, looked on, emotionless, as a jury confirmed their verdict: that he had not been insane when he opened fire on the most famous U.S. serviceman in a generation, and was guilty of capital murder.

As prosecutors decided not to pursue the death penalty, the only possible sentence for Routh was life in prison - with no chance of parole.

The verdict, which took little more than two hours for jurors in Stephenville, Texas, to reach Tuesday night, came as interest in Kyle's career as the U.S. military's deadliest-ever sniper reached fever pitch.

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Face of guilty: Eddie Ray Routh, center in a red tie, is pictured moments after he was convicted of murder after just two and a half hours' deliberation from a jury

Murderer: Eddie Ray Routh, pictured in court Friday, will receive a life sentence with no possibility of parole

Sentence: Judge Jason Cashon received the guilty verdict Tuesday evening in Stephenville, Texas

Victim: Kyle, left with his wife Taya, is officially the U.S. military's deadliest-ever sniper

Kyle's exploits in the Iraqi desert were showcased to tens of millions of Americans just days before, when American Sniper, the movie based on his bestselling autobiography, featured at the Oscars, where it was nominated for six awards.

Indeed, it was argued that such was the popularity of the movie, which grossed $300million at the box office, that Routh would never be able to get a fair trial on account of Kyle's skyrocketing fame.

Taya, Kyle's widow, was not in the courtroom when the verdict and sentence were passed in quick succession - but had earlier given tearful testimony to the court.

When addressing the court she had clutched her late husband's dog tags in her hands - and also had them with her at the Academy Awards ceremony over the weekend.

Routh's murder sentence also covers the killing of Chad Littlefield, Kyle's friend and another veteran whom he killed seconds before Kyle.

A former Marine has been found guilty of murdering famed U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle at a gun range two years ago.

Routh jailed for life for murdering 'American Sniper' Kyle

Earlier in the case, the court had heard repeatedly how Routh turned on Kyle and Littlefield at a luxury gun range near Dallas, where they had taken him as a way to help him settle back into society after leaving the Marines.

Routh first opened fire on Littlefield, then turned on Kyle, whom he shot six times.

He later said he was 'riled up' because Littlefield wasn't joining in with the shooting, then murdered Kyle too because he knew he would kill him.

Addressing Routh after his sentence, Littlefield's brother-in-law, Jerry Richardson, said: 'You took the lives of two heroes, men that tried to be a friend to you. You became an American disgrace.'

Families: Deby Kyle, Chris Kyle's mother (right) is seen leaving the courtroom after the verdict, alongside Judy and Don Littlefield (left), whose son Chris was killed at the same time

After the verdict, Judy Littlefield, the mother of Chad Littlefield, gave a statement to journalists saying her family was 'thrilled' to have received justice.

She said: 'We just just want to say that we've waited two years for God to get justice for us on behalf of our son.

'And we're so thrilled that we have the verdict that we have tonight - and thank you guys for being so compassionate and treating us with respect and honoring us.'

Kyle and Littlefield had taken Routh to the shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on February 2, 2013, after Routh's mother asked Kyle to help her troubled son.

Family members say Routh suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in Iraq and in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Defense attorneys noted that Kyle had described Routh as 'straight-up nuts' in a text message to Littlefield as they drove to the luxury resort.

Widow: Taya Kyle, who testified in the trial, was not in the courtroom when the verdict was delivered

Sorrow: Taya was tearful as she testified to the jury earlier in the trial

In memoriam: Taya was pictured at the Oscars this weekend, where the film American Sniper won an award. She took his dog tags (right) to the ceremony

Among evidence entered by prosecutors was a recorded phone call between Routh and a reporter in which Routh said he was annoyed Littlefield wasn't shooting, but instead seemed to be watching him.

'Are you gonna shoot? Are you gonna shoot? It's a shooting sport. You shoot,' Routh said in the phone call. 'That's what got me all riled up.'

Defense attorneys said Routh, who had been prescribed anti-psychotic medication often used for schizophrenia, believed the men planned to kill him.

'I had to take care of business. I took care of business, and then I got in the truck and left,' Routh said in the phone call.

Earlier in the trial, which lasted just over two weeks, Taya Kyle had taken to the stand to deliver her own emotional testimony.

Victims: Chris Kyle, left, and Chad Littlefield, right, were both shot multiple times on February 2, 2013

Locked up: Routh, whose appearance has change dramatically since the murders, is pictured here in custody after the killings

Confession: Routh, pictured above hours after the killings, confessed to the shootings almost immediately in police custody

Recalling their final moments together, before Kyle left for the gun range, she said: 'We said we loved each other and gave each other a hug and kissed.'

She later added: We said we love each other and he picked up and hugged his kids like he always did. And when I left he was still in the driveway trying to get more stuff in there.'

Taya, 40, struggled to maintain her composure on the stand during the trying and difficult testimony.

Often stopping to wipe away tears, Taya told the court she had a 'bad feeling' on the afternoon Kyle was murdered.

The premonition persisted until a local police officer, a high school friend of Kyle's, knocked on her door and said he believed her husband was hurt. He later confirmed that he had been shot six times.

Aftermath: Routh, who fled the scene and was chased down by police, is pictured above hancuffed to a police car on the night of the killings

Weapon: This pistol, found in Kyle's truck, which Routh fled in, matched bullet fragments found in Littlefield's body

On the last day of the trial, a crime scene analyst, Ryan Howard said Kyle's gun wounds were close together, suggesting he had been hit in the spinal cord and had not moved much when he was struck.

'He absolutely never saw this coming,' Howard told the court.

Last week, a psychiatrist testified that Routh is a paranoid schizophrenic and showed signs of psychosis that could not be faked.

The jury heard how Routh gunned down the men after believing they - and other people around him, including his colleagues and girlfriend - were human-pig hybrids. If he did not kill them, they were going to kill him, he told the psychiatrist.

Routh's friends and family have also testified that his behavior in the weeks before the shootings was increasingly erratic and that 'he did not seem all there' after gunning down the two men.

Caught: Routh is pictured in the back of a police car after he fled the scene of the murder in Kyle's truck before he was eventually caught. He claimed he shot the two men because he feared they would kill him

They said he was unable to care for himself, acted as if he believed that someone was going to hurt him and thought that the government was listening to him.

'It was clear that he was psychotic,' Mitchell H. Dunn, a forensic psychiatrist for the defense, told the court on Thursday. 'There was no question about that.'

But prosecutors contended Routh knew what he was doing and acted deliberately when he shot the two and then fled.

They called a psychologist who testified Routh has a personality disorder made worse by heavy drug use and has been faking schizophrenia, calling his condition 'cannabis-induced psychosis.'

Routh's uncle had previously testified that they shared some potent marijuana and perhaps consumed whiskey on the morning of the shooting.

'In my opinion, he did know what he was doing was wrong, and he did it anyway,' said Dr. Randall Price, the forensic psychologist.

On Friday, Price repeatedly accused Routh of 'setting the stage' for an insanity defense and suggested Routh may have gotten the idea from Seinfeld or the TV show Boss Hog.

In a Seinfeld episode, one character, Kramer, believes he has discovered a 'pig-man.'

THE DEVOTION OF TAYA KYLE: HONORING HER LATE HUSBAND AT TRIAL AND ON THE RED CARPET

Taya Kyle spent the week before her husband's killer was convicted of murder testifying at trial and honoring his memory at the Academy Awards.

The widow, 40, was not inside the courtroom when the jury delivered the verdict. She had stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her during the defense's closing statement.

Bravely taking the stand earlier this month, she gave emotional testimony about her husband.

She was the first witness in the trial on February 11 and cried as family photos were presented to the court.

Taya Kyle stormed out of the courtroom on Tuesday during the defense's closing statement. She gave emotional testimony

The mother of two told gave moving testimony about how she had a 'bad feeling' when her husband Chris called her from the shooting range the day he died.

She later made daily appearances at the trial, subjecting her nerves to more testimony about her husband's untimely death.

The widow then honored her husband's memory on Sunday at the Academy Awards, where the movie American Sniper, based off of his book, was nominated for Best Picture.

Mrs Kyle carried her husband's dog tags with her on the red carpet and choked up when asked about the Navy hero.

She said the sniper would be 'blown away' by the reception the movie, which has broken box office records for the biggest winter opening weekend.

THE AMERICAN SNIPER TRIAL'S FORGOTTEN VICTIM: CHAD LITTLEFIELD

Chad Littlefield, then 35, was killed in 2013 along with his more famous friend Chris Kyle

The case of Eddie Ray Routh has been dubbed the 'American Sniper' trial after its most famous victim, author and US Navy SEAL Chris Kyle.

However the other casualty of that February day at a Texas shooting range was Chad Littlefield, Kyle's devout friend who also helped out with the sniper's charitable foundation.

He was trying to help smooth Routh's transition to civilian life when he was shot , age 35.

Born in Dallas in 1977, he graduated from DeSoto High School in 1995.

The father was devoted to his wife LeAnn, daughter Morgan, now nine, and Christianity.

Though he did not serve in the military, he was passionate about helping veterans with Kyle, who he met through their daughters soccer team.

He had visited his parents the day before his death, and spent extra time at their house that day.

'Mom, life is so good it’s scary,' he told mother Judy that day, according to the Stephenville Empire-Tribune.

He was working for an oil-services firm in DeSoto as a logistics manager and was known as the peacekeeper in his family, always urging relatives to talk through their conflicts.

The charity volunteer hugged his parents right before he said goodbye to them for the last time.

His parents gave a statement to reporters after Routh was convicted of their son's murder.

We've waited two years for god to get justice for us on behalf of our son, Chad's mother Judy said.

'We're so thrilled that we have the verdict we have tonight.'

Littlefield's father Don, a high school football coach, confronted Routh, who said he did not remember Chad's name, after the trial, the Star-Telegram reported.

He said 'You will have the rest of your wasted life, each and every day, to remember his name. Let me remind you. His name was Chad Littlefield.'

Littlefield would have turned 38 on February 11.

Chad's father Don Littlefield, a high school football, confronted Eddie Ray Routh after the trial about not remembering his son's name

Looking for justice: Kyle's parents Deby and Wayne are also pictured in the courtroom on Friday

'I don't know for a fact that he saw that episode of Seinfeld but I do know that he's watched Boss Hog,' Price said.

'For a long time, he's talked a lot about pigs to a lot of people. So it's suspicious.'

He and another prosecution expert, Dr. Michael Arambula, said Routh's actions do not meet the legal definition of insanity under state criminal law.

'Any time intoxication is present, the game is over,' Arambula testified.

The trial has focused renewed attention on Kyle, who is credited with the most confirmed kills of an U.S. military sniper, and on the movie American Sniper, which was based on his memoir.

Routh, who served with the Marines in Iraq and Haiti, had been admitted to Veterans Affairs hospitals on multiple occasions after his service to treat mental illness.

Mentally ill? A psychologist for the prosecution testified Routh, pictured with his ex-girlfriend, has a personality disorder made worse by heavy drug use, calling his condition 'cannabis-induced psychosis'. The jury decided not to declare him not guilty by reason of insanity

Questioning: Eddie Ray Routh's former girlfriend Jennifer Weed, pictured, testified on Wednesday. She recalled his increasingly erratic behavior in the months before the killings and how she would care for him

One of the first to react to the verdict was fellow servicemen and best-selling author Marcus Luttrell, who shared an ominous message for Routh.

Writing shortly after the verdict was announced, Luttrell, a Navy SEAL who won a Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in Afghanistan. Like Kyle, Luttrell has also written a best-selling book based on his military career.

Writing on his public Facebook page, he said: ‘Justice served for Chris and the Littlefield family. To Eddie Ray Routh, you thought you had PTSD before .??

‘Wait till the boys in TDC Find out you killed a TX hero.’

He appears to have been referring to the Texas Department of Corrections, the old name for the body which runs Texas’s prisons.

HOW A BRONCO RIDER FROM WEST TEXAS BECAME AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS IRAQ WAR HERO

Navy SEAL Chris Kyle became the deadliest sniper in American history during four tours to Iraq

When Chris Kyle was shot dead on February 2, 2013 at age 38, he was already the most famous hero of the Iraq War.

That was before Clint Eastwood made a movie based on his autobiography. Before he was played on the big screen by Hollywood superstar Bradley Cooper. Before the record-breaking $500million ticket sales and six Academy Awards Nominations.

Now, Kyle - the deadliest sniper in American history - is a household name.

Born in Odessa, Texas, Chris Kyle grew up hunting deer and pheasants with his father. His first calling was to be a cowboy. He rode broncos after graduating high school.

At age 24, he joined the US Navy and was accepted into the elite Naval Special Warfare Command - where he distinguished himself as an excellent marksman.

He served in SEAL Team 3 and completed four tours in Iraq in which he saw extraordinary action. He was shot twice and survived six IED attacks. By the time he left the Navy, he had been awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars and numerous other commendations.

But it was his kill count that made him famous. The Pentagon recognizes 160 confirmed sniper kills. Kyle says he actually shot 255 people during combat. Both numbers break the record for most kills ever by an American sniper. The previous record, by a Vietnam War sniper, was 109.

He was such a scourge to insurgents that he was nicknamed 'the Devil of Ramadi' by enemy fighters and a bounty of $80,000 was offered.

Kyle could have lived anonymously after leaving the military in 2009, but in 2012 he published an autobiography that detailed his war experience in dramatic fashion.

American Sniper was an instant sensation. It spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold 1.2million copies. He granted numerous media interviews and appeared several times on TV news.

Despite claims that he was donating all proceeds from the book, he made more than $3million, according to reports.

The father of two became a prominent campaigner on the treatment of veterans and post-traumatic stress.

Following his murder in 2013, his funeral was held at Cowboys Stadium. The funeral procession was more than 200 miles and thousands of mourners lined the highway and then turned up at the memorial service to pay their respects.

In August 2013, then-Governor Rick Perry signed the 'Chris Kyle Law' that was aimed at helping veterans' military experience count for civilian jobs. On February 2, the second anniversary of his death, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the day 'Chris Kyle Day' across the state of Texas.