Eric Christensen, 40, was found guilty of first-degree murder after jurors rejected his lawyer's argument that the killing was a crime of passion, and not premeditated.

The conviction means Christensen will face a much longer prison term when he is sentenced June 18.

But he didn't seem too upset - the killer laughed as he was escorted from the courtroom.

Christensen's 35-year-old girlfriend, Sherry Harlan, was killed sometime between Jan. 2 and 3 by Christensen after he found a text message from another man on her cell phone.

According to court papers, Christensen told police that Harlan had broken a "Wiccan blood oath" she had made to break off a relationship with the other man.

Christiansen told investigators, "In ancient times, people who broke blood oaths were sometimes killed," according to court documents, adding the discovery of the text message made him angry.

After the killing, prosecutors said, Christensen dismembered her body, then asked a friend to drive him around the Gold Bar area to help dispose of the woman's remains. Her burned-out car was found earlier with human remains inside in the Reiter Pit area near Gold Bar.

Before he was found guilty on Friday, Christensen didn't look like a man who was worried he was about to be convicted.

Meanwhile, the crowd in the courtroom was obviously taken aback by what some called a "creepy smile."

And when court finally recessed, Harlan's good friend "Jar" she spoke to her lost pal.

"Sherry, here is your hug," she said. "I love you and miss you with all my heart. Justice has been served - you can be at rest soon after sentencing."

The defense attorney admitted Christensen killed Harlan, but she pressed the jury to believe that he just snapped.

"Her death was a crime - but her death was not premeditated," the defense lawyer said to jurors.

But the prosecutor said it was a cold-blooded, calculated murder.

He told jurors that premeditation doesn't require days of planning - that Christensen, in a jealous rage, quickly plotted a violent murder.

After the guilty verdict was delivered, "Jar" said, "I can't help but crying 'cause severity of crime. I brought my bite guard in to bite down so I would not say a word."

She had to use that bite guard to get thru the grisly testimony.

Harlan's body was cut up into nine pieces. Her skull was found in her car, and Christensen set it on fire to hide evidence.

Because the crime was so gory, the judge told the jurors they're all entitled to counseling - if they want it -at the county's expense.

Source:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/95658984.html