By Billy Ball

Special to the Herald-Sun

RALEIGH -- Jurors on Friday found former Durham minister Robert Reaves guilty of first-degree murder in the 2008 stabbing death of an N.C. Central University student.

The verdict came in after two days of private jury deliberation, leaving Reaves facing a lifetime prison sentence without the possibility of parole.

Reaves was arrested days after police found the body of 21-year-old Latrese Curtis near Interstate 540 in Wake County in January 2008. She had been stabbed dozens of times in the head, neck and midsection.

The verdict concludes a nearly two-week trial in which prosecutors sought to prove Reaves killed Curtis because she was having sex with his then-roommate Steven Randolph, with whom Reaves had also developed a sexual relationship.

Lawyers for Reaves tried to point the finger at Randolph, but jurors did not agree, unanimously finding Reaves guilty.

Reaves was a minister at Cedar International Fellowship in Durham when Curtis' body was found in January 2008.

Friday's verdict was also coupled with another revelation, as prosecutors revealed evidence that jurors could not consider during the trial due to a flawed search warrant.

State lawyers said investigators found a charred trash can during a search of Reaves' home shortly after the murder that indicated he was trying to burn clothes.

Prosecutors said the state would have contended Reaves was attempting to dispose of evidence.

Trial testimony included a state trooper who claims to have seen Reaves' car on Interstate 540 the night of the murder, even though Reaves claimed he was not in the area. Forensic analysts also said DNA evidence from Curtis' car, which was found abandoned near her body, indicated Reaves touched her steering wheel.

Additional testimony from several men, including Randolph, portrayed Reaves as pursuing sexual encounters with them and becoming angry if rebuffed.

Reaves sat silently as the verdict was read Friday. Some spectators embraced.

Billy Ball can be reached via e-mail at billyball24@gmail.com.