A Harlingen man accused of shooting and killing his former roommate in February 2020 has been found guilty of murder.

A judge sentenced Anthony Eliff to 75 years in prison for the murder of Guillermo "Willy G." Garcia.

Deliberations for the trial continued Tuesday morning when the jury reached the verdict.

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Eliff's attorney argued he acted in self-defense, claiming that Garcia threatened him with a knife days before the murder and went to the home to ambush Eliff.

“In rejecting the defendant’s claim of self-defense, the jury correctly applied and followed the law as it pertains to self-defense," Cameron County DA Luis V. Saenz said in a statement. "The evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant Eliff was not only guilty of murder, but that he is also a continuing threat to our community.”

Eliff was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm. He received a 20-year sentence for that charge that he will serve concurrently with the murder charge.