He was at the victim's funeral; then police arrested him for murder. On Wednesday, Matthew Kidder is convicted in the June 2015 murder of Jessica Nelson.
A jury finds Kidder, 28, guilty of first degree murder and use of a weapon. It took the jury only 41 minutes to convict him Wednesday morning.
June 25th 2015, Nelson is found dead naked in the bathtub at her home near 83rd and Miami St. DNA evidence found under her fingernails, and on the phone cord that Nelson was strangled with matched Kidder. Prosecutors say he sexually assaulted her before killing her.
Kidder was a family friend who knew nelson since childhood.
Her family says she was a loving mother, who didn't deserve to be taken from them.
"I was relieved because I'm glad they found him guilty and hopefully he won't get out, but it's really sad at the same time because I guess part of me didn't really want to believe it," said Ashley Solberg, Nelson’s sister.
After court, the family went to Jessica's grave, finding some peace during a year of a lot of tears and heartbreak. Jessica's son, Dominick, had hugs and smiles for everyone there. Her family says they'll do their very best to raise Dominick and make her proud.
"I hope that he remembers that she tried, and she always put him first, and that she loved him so much that she would give her life for him. And I think he does know that," Solberg explained.
Kidder will be sentenced in November, and faces life in prison.
