WAYNE COUNTY — A Wayne County jury took less than two hours Thursday to return a guilty verdict for a 26-year-old man charged with the 2014 murder of Fairfield teen Megan Nichols.

Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 for the death of his high school girlfriend. Prosecutors said in their Thursday closing arguments that it took so long to arrest Murbarger because of how long it took to find Nichols’ remains.

Megan was last seen July 3, 2014, the same day Murbarger had admitted to others he had last seen her. She was listed as a missing person for more than three years.

But in December 2017 a rural Boyleston farmer found remains in a field that were later determined to be Megan’s.

Prosecutors laid out their case saying Murbarger strangled Megan to death on July 3, 2014, and then drove her body to the rural Boyleston field where he buried her.

After six days of testimony from witnesses, the prosecution and defense closed their arguments Thursday and handed to case to the jury for deliberation.

In order for the jury to convict Murbarger of first-degree murder, the prosecution had to prove not only that Murbarger caused the death of Megan Nichols, but that he did it intentionally.

Defense attorneys have indicated they will seek a new trial in the case. Murbarger remains in the custody of the Wayne County Jail awaiting sentencing.

It’s unclear at this time when that sentencing will be held. A first-degree murder conviction is punishable in Illinois by between 20 years to life.