On August 17, after just 25 minutes of deliberation, Judge William Blackwell found Daniel Conahan Jr. guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and kidnapping.  Conahan stood stoically as the verdict was read aloud.  The victim's family embraced as the judge adjourned the court.

"I'm just so glad that no one else will have to suffer what he suffered and what we've been through," said Mary West, the victim's mother. The victim's older brother, Dan Montgomery, added, "At least it's a little bit of closure."

Outside the courtroom, Ahlbrand told reporters, "I’m never surprised with a verdict.  I’m always disappointed with an adverse verdict. I’m convinced Judge Blackwell began deliberating to some extent throughout the trial, which is what I’d expect a judge to do."

Conahan’s other attorney, Paul Sullivan, said it was up to Conahan to choose whether the penalty phase of the trial would go before a jury or whether he would let Judge Blackwell decide his fate.  Conahan, in what he felt was a wise move on his behalf, decided to choose a penalty trial by jury.

On August 24, 1999, pointing to extensive newspaper and television coverage of his murder trial, Conahan asked Judge Blackwell for a change of venue due to intense media coverage of the case.

"Their coverage included much discussion that Mr. Conahan was a suspect in a number of murders for which he has not been tried," attorney Paul Sullivan wrote in his motion to Chief Circuit Judge William Blackwell. "There has been extensive television coverage of Mr. Conahan's trial, including references to his being suspected of being a serial killer."

On September 3, 1999, Judge Blackwell ruled that Conahan’s penalty hearing would be postponed and moved to the Collier County Courthouse, approximately 60 miles to the south in Naples, Florida.  Instead of beginning Sept. 13 at the Charlotte County Justice Center, Conahan's penalty hearing would start on November 1.  During the penalty hearing, jurors would listen to reasons for and against executing Conahan.  The hearing was expected to last approximately five days after jury selection.

In mid October Conahan argued that lawyers Paul Sullivan and Mark Ahlbrand failed to give him an adequate defense in his murder trial.  He said they did not argue that a sheriff's investigator altered witness statements and they did not point out that one of the state’s witnesses committed perjury.

"The bottom line is a 25-minute defense with me testifying ... was not a defense," Conahan told the judge. "This is a life-and-death situation ... I was misled as to how they were going to handle my case."

Nevertheless, Judge Blackwell found that Ahlbrand and Sullivan provided an adequate defense and informed Conahan that if he chose to fire them, he was on his own.  Conahan, after a brief meeting with his attorneys, informed the judge that he would retain his lawyers after all.  Conahan's motion was the second in which he petitioned to fire his attorneys.  He filed a similar motion about a year prior but withdrew it after meeting with his attorneys.

"I do not have the expertise, unfortunately, to represent myself," Conahan said. "And therefore, against my wishes and my better judgment ... I am pretty much forced into keeping Mark Ahlbrand and Paul Sullivan."

By the end of October, Conahan proclaimed to anyone who would listen that he had found God in prison.  "Being born again saved my life," Conahan said from Charlotte County Jail.

"If they think giving me the death sentence is the ultimate punishment, in my case, they are wrong. ... They can put me to death, but they are going to be judged, and it won't be by their buddies," Conahan said.