FITZGERALD — A double murder suspect has been convicted by a Ben Hill County jury.

Patrick Shawn Fletcher, 31, was convicted of two counts of murder Friday afternoon in a Fitzgerald courtroom. He was sentenced to life without parole, plus five years.

Two years ago, he shot his neighbors Dewayne and Octavia Brown in the head. Their bodies were found inside their home on April 22, 2013.

Fletcher has been in jail since a couple of days after the murder on a probation violation.

His girlfriend Tacarra Leverett was charged earlier with three counts of felony false statements.