It took a jury less than three hours to find a Las Cruces man guilty of stabbing his ex-wife to death Aug. 2011.

Horace Carlos Solomon Jr. was found guilty on all eight counts, including first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, child abuse, false imprisonment, aggravated burglary and interference with communication.

Solomon was found guilty of stabbing 35-year-old Jenny Bates-Solomon to death in front of her children before he passed out drunk next to her lifeless body.

"It's been a long time coming but he's going to get his," Bates-Solomon's mother Donna Johnson said.

The prosecution and defense delivered their closing arguments Thursday morning.

The prosecution argued the evidence proved Solomon stabbed Bates-Solomon 32 times with the intent to kill when he showed up uninvited at her home, despite a restraining order against him.

"The defendant deliberately killed Jenny Bates," Assistant District Attorney Michelle Pickett said.

The prosecution said a 10-year-old and 13-year-old witnessed the murder while an 8-year-old was sleeping in the next room.

The defense didn't deny Solomon committed the crime but did try to reduce the offense, saying Solomon killed Bates-Solomon in a state of rage.

"What does that make it? It makes it second-degree murder," Defense Attorney Gary Mitchell told the jury.

But in the end the jury didn't buy it. They found Solomon guilty of first degree murder, kidnapping, child abuse, false imprisonment, aggravated burglary and interference with communication. It was a bittersweet victim for Jenny's loved ones.

"(It has) been a very emotional week and that takes a lot out of you," Bates-Solomon's father, Fred Johnson, said.

"Just want to make sure that he's not ever out to hurt anyone again including his boys," Bates-Solomon's great-aunt Jean Davis said.

Dona Ana County District Attorney Amy Orlando said Solomon faces a mandatory life sentence and could be given additional time on top of that. His sentencing will be held Tues. at 3 p.m. at the Dona Ana County District Courthouse.

"Hopefully the hatred will go away and I'll be able to accept it and hopefully she's in a place that she realizes that," Davis said.