Mesquia showed no reaction when the verdict was read.

Zapata's friends and family cried softly.

Mia Zapata was a rising star with her band the Gits. In July of 1993 she was raped and strangled, and her body was dumped on Capitol Hill.

Almost a decade after Zapata's death, a sample of DNA from her body was matched to Mesquia in a national database. He was forced to provide that DNA sample because of a conviction in Florida.

Zapata's friends say justice has finally come.

"I'm just glad that he'll be rotting in prison and we'll be able to live freer lives," said Steve Moriarity, the drummer in the Gits.

"We're all very, very relieved," said Mia's friend Marcia Hamlin, "but it doesn't bring Mia back."

Jurors took nearly three days to reach a verdict, raising hopes for the defense.

"It was the facts that we presented to the jury that caused us to have the earnest belief that we had presented sufficient facts as to create a reasonable doubt to the charged crime," explained Defense Attorney George Eppier.

The wait for the jury's verdict gave the detectives heartburn.

"I'll be honest with you, I had a sleepless night last night," said Seattle Police Detective Dick Gagnon. "I thought this verdict would come back pretty quick. When it didn't come back as quick as I thought, I started expecting the worst."

Zapata's friends greeted the jurors with many "thanks" as they emerged from the courtroom. The jurors said they simply took their time, and worked deliberately.

"We felt that we reached a point where the evidence overcame the presumption, where the innocence just couldn't have been there," explained Jury foreman Carl.

"It boiled down to the DNA," agreed juror Margaret Foy, "and with the DNA that's what we got. It was the science."

Jesus Mezquia will be sentenced next month, he faces up to 20 years in prison.