Jury finds George De La Cruz guilty of killing estranged wife

AUSTIN, Texas - After six hours of deliberations, a Travis County jury found George De La Cruz guilty of murdering his estranged wife, Julie Ann Gonzalez.

Gonzalez's family wept after the verdict was read. She was pronounced dead in 2010 but her body was never found. Gonzalez's mother told FOX 7 reporter Ashley Paredez all she wants is to know where the body is.

The trial lasted close to two weeks and was built mostly around circumstantial evidence.

The sentencing phase in this trial is set to begin Thursday morning.

FOX 7 will have more on this story tonight at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

This is an update to a previous story. The original version is as follows.

The jury started deliberations a little after 11:00 a.m.

Earlier this morning, in closing arguments, both sides in this circumstantial evidence case had their final say.

Prosecutors began by asked the jury who would have known Gonzalez's choice in a man would prove so fatal.

Defense attorneys argued that the state has failed to prove their client committed a crime.

Both provided different ways to view Gonzalez's disappearance. That included how the digital foot print of Gonzalez's phone was linked to De La Cruz and what was the purpose of a mysterious trench found under a shed in De La Cruz's backyard.

Before the trial began prosecutors reportedly offered De La Cruz a plea deal for 50 years.

FOX 7's Rudy Koski continues to follow this story and will have more coming up on the FOX 7 News Edge at 5.