A Sagadahoc County jury has found a man guilty of murder in connection with the killing of his former girlfriend’s daughter more than three years ago, his lawyers confirmed Tuesday.

Tyler Witham-Jordan, 31, faces 25 years to life in prison. He will be sentenced at a later date.

The jury, which began deliberations Monday afternoon, reached its verdict around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the defense. The verdict was first reported by the Lincoln County News.

The state argued during a two-week trial that Witham-Jordan beat 3-year-old Makinzlee Handrahan to death at some point on Dec. 24, 2022, leaving the girl’s mother to find her dead on Christmas morning. Witham-Jordan pleaded not guilty in early 2024. His defense attorneys suggested during trial that the girl’s mother, Faith Lewis, should also have been considered a possible suspect, which the attorney general’s office previously called a character assassination.

Witham-Jordan and Lewis were dating and living together at the time.

A prosecutor said Monday during closing arguments that Witham-Jordan was angry that day after believing a friend had sold him fake drugs and that he had texted Lewis about being upset that Makinzlee was sick days earlier.

“She was a smart, sassy, beautiful little girl,” Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Ackerman told the jury on Monday, showing them photographs of Makinzlee before her death. “She died because a person who claimed to love her and care for her could not control his anger, his rage.”

The attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

“We have great respect for the jury as we did throughout this long trial,” defense attorney Daniel Dubé said in an email Tuesday. “They were serious and very attentive. But it is difficult to square the verdict with the reasonable doubt standard. There will be a post-judgment filing. We are determining next steps.”