JACKSONVILLE, Fla — For a second time, a clay county man was found guilty for the murder of a vet tech. Michael Renard Jackson is charged with the first-degree murder of Andrea Boyer.
The jury reached this verdict after two days of deliberations.
“It has been 16 years that our beautiful daughter Andrea has been taken from us. She was a wonderful daughter and loved her job at the vet clinic,” said Andrea Boyer’s sister Amber Cochlin.
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That was part of a statement from their mother.
It was a unanimous vote among jurors Saturday morning as they decided Jackson was guilty as charged with first-degree murder and sexual battery.
This decision came after a weeklong retrial as the jury heard from both the state and defense teams’ arguments along with witness testimonies.
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In 2010, Jackson was first found guilty and sentenced to death for raping and murdering Boyer in 2007, when she came to work at an orange park animal clinic.
At the time, the death vote was not unanimous among the jury. Then the Florida Supreme Court overturned his original conviction, arguing the video of his interrogation prejudiced the jury.
Cochlin said her family is finally getting justice for Andrea, 16 years later.
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“Our family has shed many tears through the years, missing her birthday, holidays and hearing her beautiful voice,” said Cochlin. “Finally, we can breathe.”
Jurors will be back at the Clay County Courthouse on Tuesday at 9 a.m. for the penalty phase of this case. The state is seeking the death penalty.
Related Read: Michael Renard Jackson found guilty for the 2007 murder of a vet tech after retrial
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