Matthew Nash became the third member of his family who will serve a mandatory life sentence for the death of Justin Maurice Harris after a Warren County Circuit Court jury returned a verdict Wednesday finding him guilty of murder.

Nash also was found guilty of shooting into an occupied dwelling and two counts of aggravated assault.

It took jurors just more than 90 minutes to reach the verdict in a trial that lasted less than three days, including jury selection.

Nash, 30, sat silently at the defense table and did not move as the four “guilty as charged” verdicts were read.

Though he did not carry or fire a weapon, Nash was judged a willing participant in the 2007 revenge slaying. Those who did fire the guns were his half-brother, Anthony Trevillion, 31, and step-brother, Armond Trevillion, 28, who have already been sentenced to life in prison. The law holds Nash accountable just as if he had pulled the trigger himself, presiding judge Frank Vollor told the jury in his instructions before deliberations began around 11 a.m.

“The verdict indicates that the citizens of this county will not tolerate violent crime,” Assistant District Attorney Dewey Arthur said afterward. “The citizens of Vicksburg will hold anyone accountable who deliberately associates with or participates in a violent crime.”

Another of Nash’s step-brothers, Alonzo Trevillion, 35, and his cousin Rufus Armstrong, 32, also face charges in the slaying that took place around 3 a.m. on June 17, 2007. Their trial dates have not yet been set.

Vollor will await a sentencing report before imposing any additional time. The sentence of life without parole is statutory in Mississippi for any person found guilty of murder.

Anthony and Armond Trevillion each received 53 years in addition to their life sentences, but their cases included a charge for being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon, which Nash did not face. Both men previously had served terms for aggravated assault.

In his closing argument, Arthur spoke quietly but forcefully to the jury, summarizing the testimony of prosecution witnesses who said Nash and his brothers went to Harris’ home at 1224 Grammar St. with weapons to confront Harris after an altercation earlier in the evening.

The home was sprayed with 19 rounds from an AK-47 and one blast from a 12-gauge shotgun, District Attorney Ricky Smith said. Also in the home at the time of the shooting were Harris’ brother, Jarvis Bowman, and best friend Jared Bunch. Neither was wounded in the shooting, and both testified against Nash.

Nash testified that he had gone to the home to try to make peace between Harris and Anthony Trevillion, and did not know his brothers had the guns. He said he stood on the porch trying to talk with Harris as his brothers approached behind him.

Defense attorney Eugene Perrier said in his closing argument that the most persuasive evidence that Nash did not know about the guns was that he placed himself in the line of fire between Harris and his brothers.

Bowman said he felt justice had been served but was “a little” surprised by the verdict. “His attorney put up a good fight,” he said.

Perrier said an appeal is likely, but declined to comment further.

The trial was the second for Nash, following a mistrial in June when jurors were unable to agree on a verdict after deliberating for five hours.

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Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com.