North Chicago man guilty of shooting teen in 2013

A man accused of killing a teen in North Chicago hours after her younger sister attended a gun control speech by President Barack Obama was found guilty of first-degree murder by a Lake County jury late Wednesday.

Jim McPherson, 23, of North Chicago, could be sentenced from 45 years to life in prison after the jury returned a verdict of guilty on three counts of murder.

The jury deliberated for four hours before returning the guilty verdict, said Cynthia Vargas, spokeswoman for the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

McPherson is required to serve 100 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole. His sentencing is scheduled to take place after a status hearing on Jan. 9, Vargas said.

Janay McFarlane, 18, was gunned down at about 11:30 p.m. on Feb 15, 2013, in an alley on the 1300 block of Jackson Avenue as she and two friends walked home from a convenience store, authorities said.

Authorities said McFarlane and McPherson exchanged words minutes before the shooting.

McPherson remains in Lake County jail while awaiting his sentencing.

Authorities said the shooting took place the same night McFarlane's sister was onstage at Hyde Park Academy where President Obama spoke of controlling gun violence.