An Adams County resident received a life sentence Wednesday after being found guilty of murdering Anna Loftin Blank of Woodville.

After deliberating for an hour, a jury decided Aldrick Minor, 20, of 99 Old Meadow Road, was responsible for the shooting death of the 27-year-old on Jan. 15 in Broadmoor.

He is believed to have shot her because she acted as a snitch for Natchez-Adams Metro Narcotics in a case in which he was involved.

&uot;I’m just glad justice was done but nothing can bring her back to me and her little boys,&uot; said Beverly &uot;Bootsie&uot; Loftin, the victim’s mother. Loftin also said she felt sorry for Minor’s mother.

The verdict brought an end to a two-day trial in Adams County Circuit Court.

&uot;(It) just reinforces my confidence in the Adams County juries,&uot; said District Attorney Ronnie Harper. &uot;Law enforcement did an excellent job in this case (and) made it much easier for us.&uot;

Kevin Colbert, Minor’s attorney, declined to comment except to say &uot;I think the jury has spoken.&uot;

Deputies found Blank’s body on Jan. 15 inside her car. The car was parked, with its engine running, about about 50 yards from 89 East Wilderness Road. Blank had been shot twice in the head with a .25-caliber pistol.

Police said they tracked Blank’s cellular phone call records to connect her to a party at an East Wilderness Road residence the night she was killed.

After several calls, Minor left the party and returned a few minutes later telling people at the party he had shot or &uot;4:30’ed&uot; her, the witnesses said.

During the trial, Colbert tried to convince the jury that the timing of Blank’s death could not point to Minor. He also suggested that one of the state’s witnesses at the party committed the crime and that Minor may have been set up. Colbert said the state lacked the evidence to prove Minor guilty.

&uot;You need (to do) more than ‘assume’ when you want to find someone guilty, especially for a crime as serious as murder,&uot; Colbert said during his closing argument. But Assistant District Attorney David Hall said the evidence was enough to convict Minor.

&uot;The finger doesn’t point to anybody but the defendant,&uot; Hall said during his closing argument. &uot;He can’t hide from the truth … As hard as this defendant is trying to hide from the truth it (isn’t) going to work.&uot; Under the law, Minor will be incarcerated until he is at least 65 years old.

&uot;Justice was served,&uot; said Adams County Sheriff Tommy Ferrell. &uot;That was a heinous crime.&uot;

Liondell Minor, who is charged with an accessory after the fact to murder for the same crime, was one of many witnesses to testify during the trial. After pleading the Sixth amendment – the right to counsel – several times in the presence of his attorney, Liondell Minor later pleaded the Fifth amendment. Circuit Court Forrest &uot;Al&uot; Johnson then decided it would be &uot;imprudent&uot; to allow further questioning of Minor. He is to stand trial for the accessory charge at a later date.