Routh guilty of murdering 'American Sniper'
Former Marine Eddie Ray Routh has been found guilty of murdering 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle.
The 27-year-old has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Former US Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose autobiography was turned into the blockbuster movie American Sniper, was ambushed from behind when was fatally shot two years ago at a Texas gun range, a forensics expert told a Texas jury.
Routh was accused of killing Kyle and Kyle's friend Chad Littlefield about 110 km southwest of Fort Worth in February 2013 and then fleeing in Kyle's pickup truck.
"He absolutely never saw this coming," said crime scene analyst Howard Ryan, who was called by prosecutors as a rebuttal witness.
Kyle was shot several times at close range as he was mostly motionless, Ryan said.
Two of the shots, including one that hit the spine, were incapacitating, Ryan said, adding Kyle was not facing the shooter.
Kyle was either shot in one burst or suffered the incapacitating shots and then took additional gunfire later, Ryan said.
Littlefield suffered wounds in several areas with the first being to his back, Ryan said.
He later was shot in the head, either when he was on his knees or back.
Under cross examination, Ryan said he could not conclude anything about the state of mind of the shooter based on the physical evidence.
Defense attorney are trying to have Routh declared innocent by reason of insanity.
They recalled a psychiatrist to the stand who said Routh had psychotic bouts of paranoia and suffered from schizophrenia at the time of the incident.
“It is my opinion that it is not a mood disorder that Mr Routh suffered from.
"The most likely diagnosis is schizophrenia," said psychiatrist Dr. Mitchell Dunn.
Morning news break – February 25
