It took jurors less than two hours to find a Charlotte man guilty of killing his estranged wife.

Eyewitness News has been talking to those closest to the Anthony Long case.

Even prosecutors were a little surprised at how quickly the jury came back with their guilty verdicts after a week of listening to very graphic and complex testimony, but in the end their message was emphatic and clear. There were no excuses for what Anthony Long had done.

It took the jury less than two hours to answer more than five years of their prayers.

"I thank the Lord, because it was nothing but the Lord. He was pleading like he was insane and all of that kind of stuff to get out of killing her like that," said Aunt Ella Glenn.

Anthony Long had stood silently as the clerk announced the guilty verdicts, one after another, including first degree murder, with its mandatory life sentence.

"I wanted to bring back into focus just how horrific this murder was," said prosecutor Gabrielle Macon.

Prosecutors knew they had a strong, but complicated case.

Long's attorney had focused on history of sexual abuse and mental illness had, but the jury clearly did not take long to sort through it.

"When they came back think it confirmed the strength of our case – two hours was very quick," said prosecutor Clayton Jones.

Long had decided not to testify in the case and his attorney said that after five years he was ready for a decision.

"Of course he is disappointed in the verdict but I think the jury has heard both sides and heard the evidence and they have spoken," said defense attorney Alec Carpenter.

Long was also convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison on top of his life.

His attorney announced that he is appealing the verdicts.