Illinois man found guilty in 2014 Rockford killings

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois man accused in the 2014 shooting deaths of a woman, her two sons and her boyfriend has been found guilty of first-degree murder and home invasion.

Calvin L. Carter III, 24, was convicted on a total of 133 counts, the Rockford Register Star (http://bit.ly/2tcUvl0 ) reported. He will face life in prison when sentenced in September.

Investigators said Carter fatally shot his ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old Martia Flint, along with her sons - Tyrone Smith III, 6, and Tobias K. Smith, 4 - in a Rockford apartment. Also killed was Demontae Rhodes, 24.

Prosecutors alleged that text messages from Flint to Carter showed that Carter was an abusive boyfriend who was enraged when Flint ended their relationship.

Investigators allege that Flint and Rhodes had rekindled their relationship after a breakup, during which Flint had dated Carter. Carter killed Flint over "rejection, jealousy and finality" of their relationship ending, and that Carter killed the children and Rhodes to eliminate any witnesses, according to prosecutors.

"These murders were personal," said Marilyn Hite Ross, chief of the criminal bureau in the Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office.

The defense argued the case was built on circumstantial evidence.

Police discovered a semi-automatic pistol that matched the casings found at Flint's residence at an abandoned residence where Carter had lived. Defense attorney Nick Zimmerman argued that there were no fingerprints on the murder weapon or blood on any of Carter's clothing that was recovered by authorities.

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Information from: Rockford Register Star, http://www.rrstar.com