NASHVILLE — It took a jury less than three hours Wednesday to convict a father accused of shooting and killing his son.

“The jury went out to deliberate at 3:10 p.m. and returned with the verdict at 5:35 p.m.,” said Cathy Harris Helms, Alapaha Judicial Circuit district attorney, via e-mail.

Lewis Wright Dyal, 57, of Alapaha was convicted of shooting and killing Jonathon Dyal, his 37-year-old son. Helms said that Dyal confessed to the Dec. 17, 2007, shooting, which reportedly took place in the family home on AB Heath Road in Alapaha. The elder Dyal claimed the shooting was self-defense.

In reaching its guilty verdict on charges of malice murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Helms said the jury rejected Dyal’s claim of self-defense, finding it was disproved by the testimony of Dyal’s wife. Vicky Maye Dyal reportedly witnessed the shooting death of her son.

Helms said Dyal’s claim was also proven false by scientific evidence. Alapaha Judicial Circuit Judge Howard McClain presided over the two-day trial in Berrien County Superior Court and sentenced Dyal to life on the murder count, 10 years concurrent on the aggravated assault count and five years consecutive on the possession of firearm count, added Helms, who prosecuted the case.

Helms said the investigative work of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was top-notch on this case.

“In particular,” she continued, “Deputy Don Ward of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office did an excellent job of preserving, photographing and securing the crime scene, and Agent Jamie Karnes of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation expertly gathered critical evidence and interviewed the witnesses to make the case.”

Janice Prince of the Office of Indigent Defense represented Dyal.

Between 8-9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17, 2007, three Berrien County sheriff’s deputies responded to Dyal’s Alapaha home after a shooting was reported, according to statements made by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office to The Valdosta Daily Times in 2007.

Upon entry into the residence, deputies found a white male with one fatal gunshot wound.

The scene was reportedly secured, and within 30 minutes, the victim’s father was arrested.