Man convicted of murder in boy's starvation death

A man who had agreed to care for his ex-girlfriend's 7-year-old son was convicted of murdering the boy Tuesday by starving him to death while confining him to a tiny closet.

Jurors took just 3 1/2 hours to convict Jon Phillips of first-degree murder, fatal child abuse and evidence tampering in the May 2007 death of Chandler Grafner.

Phillips, 27, was immediately sentenced to life plus 48 years in prison.

There was no immediate word on whether Phillips would appeal.

Phillips' girlfriend, Sarah Berry, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Chandler's death on Monday, just as jurors began deliberating the case against Phillips. She faces 48 years in prison and five years of parole.

A coroner said Chandler died of starvation and dehydration after suffering cardiac arrest. He weighed 34 pounds and had numerous cuts and bruises.

Prosecutors said the boy was denied food and water and was kept in a closet where he had to urinate and defecate.

"He killed him," Deputy District Attorney David Lamb thundered across the courtroom in closing arguments Monday, pointing at Phillips. "He turned to the two weapons of choice, he turned to food and a closet."

Defense attorney Darren Cantor said Chandler died of acute diabetes that went undetected.

"This is someone who missed the signs," Cantor told jurors. "It wasn't bad parenting."

Authorities said Phillips had agreed to take custody of Chandler after a court removed the boy from the care of his mother, Phillips' former girlfriend.

The state Department of Human Services concluded in August 2007 that county agencies had made numerous missteps in Chandler's case but said those problems were not responsible for the his death.