A jury in Wisconsin has convicted Miguel Aponte, 34, of first-degree intentional homicide and felony bail jumping, following the discovery of Laeng Sanavongsay’s body in a rented vehicle. The grim discovery was made in the back seat of a car, with the victim’s mouth taped shut and a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

According to court records from Ozaukee County, Aponte was cleared of charges related to attempting to mutilate a corpse. The jury’s decision came after deliberations that examined the evidence surrounding the tragic events leading to the death of Sanavongsay, who was 49 years old.

The incident unfolded on March 4, when authorities came across a seemingly abandoned Chevy Malibu on the roadside in Grafton, a village situated just north of Milwaukee. Upon inspecting the vehicle, they made the chilling discovery of a body in the back seat, as detailed in a criminal complaint reported by the Ozaukee County News Graphic.

Sanavongsay’s remains were found with tape binding his mouth, marks indicating his wrists had been bound, and a bullet lodged in his head. Additionally, the vehicle showed signs of burn damage, with smoke residue on the windows and significant damage within the passenger area.

Further investigation revealed that Sanavongsay had rented the car from Chicago O’Hare International Airport the day before his death. The last call made from his phone was traced to a number associated with a Milwaukee auto repair shop owner. This led authorities to search the shop and analyze cell tower data, eventually uncovering links to a woman who was in a relationship with Aponte.

In September, the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office is said to have identified DNA in the Chevy Malibu as having belonged to Aponte, using the FBI’s national database system CODIS. According to authorities, Aponte’s DNA was also found on Sanavongsay’s right hand as well as on a mattress located at the Milwaukee auto shop.

Aponte reportedly initially denied knowing Sanavongsay, before saying he had met him once and then admitting he was with the victim and other people on the night of his death, though he denied having played a part in the killing.

Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles suggested the location had little to do with the crime.

“They drove up, found a place to kill somebody, and it just happened to be in Ozaukee County,” she said, per local Fox affiliate WITI.

Ozaukee County District Attorney Ben Lindsay made clear during the trial his belief that Aponte did not act alone, the local newspaper reported, but no one else has been apprehended in the case.

Aponte is set to be sentenced on March 9. He faces life in prison.