SEBRING, Fla. (WFLA) — Joseph Ables has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a Highlands County deputy in 2018.

Ables was also found guilty of animal cruelty.

The jury deliberated for just one hour.

“That guy shows no remorse. He’s not remorseful for what he’s done. He’s not remorseful that he killed a cat. He’s not remorseful that he killed a deputy. There’s no remorse,” said Kevin Gentry, Highlands County Deputy William Gentry’s brother. “I think the jury saw that, we saw it and I think they made the right decision.”

Closing arguments began Tuesday morning. Ables now faces the death penalty for murdering a Deputy Gentry in 2018.

“Just relieved. We’re certainly relieved that the decision, that they did, a guilty verdict on both counts,” said Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman.

Deputy Gentry, 40, was responding to a dispute in Lake Placid in May 2018, when Ables shot and killed him.

Ables, 69 at the time, shot and killed a neighborhood cat with a pellet gun, causing Deputy Gentry and a young deputy trainee to respond to the scene.

Gentry did not know at the time that Ables had an extensive criminal history and was a convicted felon.

On Tuesday, during closing arguments, prosecutor Bonde Johnson reminded jurors of evidence presented in the trial that described Deputy Gentry’s last communication with a dispatcher.

In that conversation, Gentry asked the dispatcher to send him Ables’ probation officer’s phone number.

Ables then pulled out a handgun and shot Gentry multiple times in the head.

“Every time you squeeze that trigger, you’re intending to shoot,” said Johnson.

Ables’ defense attorney, Debra Tuomey, did not call any witnesses during the trial.

In closing arguments, she said Ables, a Marine, did not realize Gentry was a deputy, was scared and acted in self-defense.

“To Mr. Ables, this was an armed intruder. To Mr. Ables, at that moment, he was back in south Vietnam,” said Tuomey.

“My dad is like, ‘I don’t go around killing deputies and I was in the Marine Corps’. I think it’s an excuse,” said Kevin Gentry.

The same jury will return to court on Thursday for the start of the penalty phase.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

“I don’t want him to have the death penalty. I want him to have life in prison because I want him to sit there and rot and I want him to realize every day he’s sitting in that prison, in Florida state prison, realize what he’s done. The death penalty is too easy for this guy,” said Kevin Gentry.

Ables was indicted on charges of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and animal cruelty.

“During this approach, the garage door of the residence, which was closed, started to open and [the deputy] saw an elderly male attempt to get inside a vehicle and leave the area,” said Sheriff Blackman at the time of the shooting.

At that moment, the two deputies saw Gentry lying down, bleeding.

Ables was arrested and the deputies tried to give Gentry first aid. He was later flown to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers where he died.

Sheriff Blackman told News Channel 8 that Deputy Gentry was one of the first deputies he swore in as sheriff.

“He was a great deputy, a great human being and just someone who was always fun, always had a good time but still did his job very professionally,” said Sheriff Blackman.

Sheriff Blackman said he hopes his office can find closure after the verdict, noting they had to endure several depositions while also housing Ables at the county jail.