Jurors took less than an hour today to find a Minnesota teenager guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a convenience store clerk in Humboldt, Iowa last year.

Michael Swanson, 18, was smiling as the verdict was read. He now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison for the November 15 death of 61-year-old Sheila Myers. His attorneys claimed Swanson was legally insane at the time of his crime.

Following the verdict, a prepared statement from the Myers family was read to reporters outside the Carroll County Courthouse. “Sheila was a loving and caring best friend. She always put everyone else first,” Robin Myers said. “The wonderful memories are too many to mention and she will be greatly missed by her husband, her daughters, her brother, family and other friends,” Mandy Myers said.

Swanson was also found guilty of first-degree robbery. Sentencing will take place in Humboldt County on a date to be set within 10 days. Swanson faces another trial in July for the shooting death of Vicky Bowman Hall at a gas station in Algona.

by Jeff Blankmann, KCIM, Carroll