An El Paso County jury found a man guilty Wednesday in the 2001 murder of UCCS student Patricia Elliott.

Ryan Krueger, 31, was convicted of First Degree Murder, a class 1 felony and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder, a class 2 felony. Shortly after the verdicts were read, El Paso County District Court Judge Kirk Samelson sentenced Krueger to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On April 12, 2001 Colorado Springs police found the body of 19-year-old Elliott in a bathtub at 5526 Denmark Court. Elliott had died from blunt force trauma to the head.

This case remained unsolved until a wiretap lead to the arrests of Christopher Allen, Benjamin Gunvalsen and Ryan Krueger. The investigation revealed that the men had killed Elliott by striking her in the head several times with a dumbbell. They then strangled her with a blanket.

In court Gunvalsen said Krueger had told them to purchase the dumbbell and told them that they needed to "take care" of Elliott because she was "snitching" on them about a drug trafficking incident.

Prosecutors say after making the arrangements Krueger then called the victim and arranged for her to meet the three men.

Allen was sentenced in February to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted of First Degree Murder.

Gunvalsen was sentenced in March to four years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to the charge of Accessory to Murder, a class 4 felony.

Krueger fired his attorneys and represented himself in the jury trial.

Patricia Elliott's family has been waiting a long time for this. It's a great sense of relief for her parents.

Connie Elliott, Patricia’s mother says they’ve spent the past 7 years waiting for justice to be served.

"It's just been such a long time," Connie said.

She says not a day goes by she doesn't think about Patricia, she wonders who she'd be today and she's relieved knowing those responsible for her death are finally paying the price.