Fayetteville Jury Sentences Mario McNeill to Death

In the high profile murder and human trafficking trial of Mario McNeill, found guilty last week of killing 5-year-old Shaniya Davis in November 2009, the jury sentenced him to death.

At 12:17 p.m. Wednesday, opting to work through lunch, the eight-man and four-woman jury left the courtroom for deliberations to decide McNeill's fate. Life without parole, or a death sentence.

The young girl's body was found on Nov. 16, 2009 in a wooded area of N.C. Highway 87 after being reportedly missing from her trailer park residence by her mother, Antoinette Davis.

McNeill was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, human trafficking with a child victim, sexual servitude with a child victim, sexual offense of a child and indecent liberties with a child.

The prosecuting team gave closing statements on Wednesday morning urging the jury panel to sentence McNeill to death and painted him to show little remorse throughout the trial.

McNeill will be the first person executed in North Carolina since August 2006. Read more about life on Death Row here.

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