Robert Gardner is facing up to 25 years to life in prison in the December 2009 death of 18-year-old Eric Bean. He was convicted Thursday.
Authorities say Bean was hogtied and tortured for hours before another defendant in the case, Timothy Delosreyes III, put a dagger in his mouth and stepped on it. Bean choked on his own blood.
Also charged were Delosreyes's father and Gardner's wife. Authorities say they were high on methamphetamine and afraid Bean would implicate them in the theft of his father's guns.
The father and son are awaiting trial. The Contra Costa Times reports (http://bit.ly/H85LTU ) that the wife accepted a plea deal.
