UPDATED: Guilty Verdict for Mitchell Young in Cipriano Murder

This story was reported by Joni Hubred-Golden

A guilty verdict was delivered today against one of two men accused of killing Farmington Hills resident Robert Cipriano and the near-fatal attacks on Cipriano's wife Rose Cipriano, 51, and their son, Salvatore Cipriano, 18.

Mitchell Young, 21, will face sentencing July 24 for the April 2012 murder and assaults at the Cipriano family's Farmington Hills home. He likely will serve life in prison without the possibility of parole on the charge of first degree murder with intent. Additional charges included felony murder, two counts of assault with intent to murder and armed robbery. 

Jurors took less than two hours to return a verdict after a nearly two-week trial that included gruesome crime scene photos and audio of 18-year-old Tanner Cipriano's 911 call to Farmington Hills Police. Tanner and his younger sister Isabella escaped injury during the attacks. 

The Detroit Free Press reports that jurors declined to speak with media after the trial, but the family issued a statement to media that read in part, "No verdict could bring closure to this for our family; it is part of our everyday reality. There is never closure in a situation like this. It merely closes this chapter and lets us focus everything we have on the continued healing of our family physically, mentally and emotionally."

In addition, the family thanked the Farmington Hills Police Department, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office and cooperating agencies, with a special thanks to Cindy Stanton in the Office of Victim Services. 

The verdict brings to a close a 14-month prosecution that began the morning of April 16, 2012, when Young and Robert and Rose's oldest son, Tucker, 20, were taken into custody. Tucker Cipriano pleaded no contest last week to felony murder. He will be sentenced July 9.

Rose Cipriano attended the Cipriano Classic 5K fundraiser earlier this month. During the event, Tanner said that Salvatore continues to recover and recently took his first steps. 

He asked for continued prayers and support for the family and closed with the acronym JKLP, for what has become a signature phrase, "just keep loving people", taken from the eulogy he delivered at his father's funeral.