Marco Perez was found guilty Thursday of capital murder in the death Mobile police officer Sean Tuder in January 2019.

A Mobile County jury decided Perez had known Tuder was a police officer when he shot Tuder three times with a stolen .44 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun at the Peach Place Inn on Jan. 20, 2019.

Tuder had been one of several Mobile police officers searching for Perez, who was 19 at the time and wanted on multiple warrants, including federal gun charges on which he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 25 years.

The day of his murder, Tuder had agreed to work on what was normally a day off after receiving information that Perez had been spotted at the Peach Place Inn on Jeff Hamilton Road in Mobile. Tuder had been among the officers tracking Perez’ whereabouts in order to take him into custody.

Mobile police Sgt. Dorothea George testified Tuder was often called upon to assist when police were seeking someone, which is why he was brought into the Perez case.

Perez’ attorneys used the fact Tuder had arrived at the Peach Place Inn wearing civilian clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle as evidence Perez did not know Tuder was a police officer and was acting in self-defense.

Several witnesses, however, testified Tuder was visibly wearing his badge, according to numerous media reports and jurors clearly believed the prosecution’s contention that Perez was desperate to avoid capture — so much so he had already attempted to fake his own kidnapping.

Now jurors will be tasked with determining whether Perez will face the death penalty or be sentenced to life in prison.

If sentenced to death, he will become the 165th person on Alabama’s death row, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections. At 24 years old, he would also be the youngest by six years.