A DeKalb County, Georgia, jury on Wednesday delivered a guilty verdict in disbarred personal injury lawyer Richard Merritt’s murder trial. Following the verdict on counts of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a knife three inches or longer during the offense, a judge sentenced him to life without parole, plus five years accounting for time served.

Merritt was on trial for allegedly killing his mother, Shirley Merritt, the day he was supposed to report to prison to serve a 15-year sentence for fraud, elder abuse, and forgery after stealing over $200,000 from clients.