Jury Finds Tulsa Teen Guilty Of Killing Girlfriend

Ashli Sims, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa teenager was found guilty of second degree murder Friday evening.

The jury recommended Theo Fleming, 18, spend thirty years in prison for shooting his girlfriend Kaitlyn Finnegan to death in 2009.

12/2/2010 Related story: Victim's Mother Leaves Courtroom In Tears During Tulsa Teen's Murder Trial

"We finally got justice after 20 months," said Jim Finnegan, Kaitlyn's father.

Finnegan and Fleming were hanging out at a friend's house, back in April 2009, when she was shot. At first, Fleming told police his girlfriend was shot in a drive-by, but later said he accidentally shot her.

The jury heard conflicting statements from witnesses about whether Fleming and Finnegan were arguing or joking just before the shooting. In the end the jury sided with prosecutors and decided Fleming should spend the next three decades behing bars.

"Thirty years was as good as we're going to get. It won't bring Kaitlyn back, but, it's good enough," said Jeanne Finnegan, Kaitlyn's mother.

The family said this has been an emotional roller coaster that won't end with the trial.

"I don't think it will ever end," Jeanne Finnegan said."They say you know, closure. You never get closure," Jim Finnegan said. "This is just a new step Now that we've got this done with our lives. We're going thave to learn to live without Kaitlyn. It's going to be hard."

As for Theo Fleming, Kaitlyn's family says they don't believe he's remorseful.

"Maybe it ruined his life, I hope it did," Jeanne Finnegan said. That's a real vindictive thing to say. But he took our daughter. And I don't think he deserves to grow up and go to college and have his own family."

Theo Fleming's family and attorney left the courthouse without making a statement. This is an 85 percent crime, so Fleming will have to serve 25 years before he's eligible for parole.