GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) -- After deliberating for four hours, a Kent County jury on Friday afternoon found Robin Root guilty of first-degree murder in the Dec. 2007 death of Janna Kelly.
Root, 53, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. She faces mandatory life in prison when she is sentenced Dec. 9.
"We love you, Robin,'' family members shouted as she was led from Kent County Circuit Court Judge George Buth's 12th floor courtroom.
Outside of court, members of Janna Kelly's family thanked jurors and detectives for their work on the case.
"We needed the eight years to get what we needed as far as technology, but now we can actually go and lay her to rest,'' Kelly's niece, Jennifer Stanton said through tears.
She said the family holds no bitterness towards Root's family, but said they too will share in the pain of losing a loved one.
"Unfortunately our road ends here and sadly for that family, their road just begins,' Stanton said. "Now they get to go through the holidays like we did without someone there. At least they can pick up a phone and call. We don't get that, but justice is served and we can actually lay her to rest and feel confident with this long road.''
Members of Root's family lingered in court after the verdict, embraced and prayed. They declined comment when leaving the courtroom.
Root rented a home from Kelly, but she couldn't keep up with her payments, was served an eviction notice, and was ordered to pay nearly $3,000 in unpaid rent.
When Root and Kelly were discussing payment in December 2007, Root pushed Kelly, causing Kelly to fall and hit her head, Root told police. Root went on to say she then put Kelly, unconscious but breathing, into the trunk of Kelly's car. The following morning, Root found Kelly had died in the trunk.
Root then drove to Grand Haven Township and left Kelly's body on some vacant land. Three months later, a land surveyor found Kelly's body.
The case went unsolved for several years until it was opened again earlier this year by cold-case detectives. Police met with Root in April and arrested her, but didn't read her Miranda rights several hours into an interview with her. A judge denied a defense request to have some of Root's self-incriminating statements thrown out because of the delay with the Miranda rights. The judge denied that request since that interview had been preceded by several voluntary interviews.
During the trial's opening statements on Monday, prosecutors revealed some DNA evidence in the case hadn't been tested until several years after the fact and could possibly have led to closing the case sooner.
