SANFORD, Fla. — Grant Amato was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder by a jury late Wednesday night in the killings of his mother, father, and brother at their Chuluota home in January.

The 12-member jury returned the verdicts at about 10 p.m.

Family members and loved ones of Chad and Margaret Amato and the slain brother, Cody, openly wept as the verdicts were read aloud at the Seminole County Courthouse.

Grant Amato showed no emotion.

Amato decided not to testify, despite his defense attorneys saying last week that he would. That apparently change Wednesday morning as the defense rested with Amato not taking the stand. 

The state started their closing argument Wednesday by asking the jury, "If not Grant, then who?"

Later, the state dove deeper in to why it thinks evidence shows that Amato was his family's killer. 

"Grant Amato is a medical nurse (and) knows all about DNA. Do you think someone will leave DNA behind? (It was an) area of expertise, and he took advantage of that," Assistant State Attorney Domenick Leo said. 

Prosecutors say Amato killed his parents and brother over an expensive online obsession with a Bulgarian web cam girl.

The second phase of his trial is scheduled to begin August 12, when the state will pursue the death penalty. The jury must be unanimous in their death recommendation for Amato to be sentenced to death. If the jury is not unanimous in its recommendation, Amato will be sentenced to life in prison.

Follow reporter Asher Wildman's updates on the trial below.

Grant Amato awaits a verdict in his triple-murder trial Wednesday night. He was found guilty of 3 counts of 1st-degree premeditated murder in the killings of his brother and parents, who were found shot to death in January in their Chuluota home. Grant Amato did not react as the jury's verdicts were read. (Spectrum News 13)
Grant Amato awaits a verdict in his triple-murder trial Wednesday night. He was found guilty of 3 counts of 1st-degree premeditated murder in the killings of his brother and parents, who were found shot to death in January in their Chuluota home. Grant Amato did not react as the jury's verdicts were read. (Spectrum News 13)