BARNSTABLE, Mass. — Four days after announcing that it was deadlocked, a jury found a garbage collector guilty of raping and murdering fashion writer Christa Worthington in her Cape Cod home in 2002.

Tears streamed down the face of Christopher McCowen, 34, as the jury foreman pronounced him guilty Thursday of first-degree murder, aggravated rape and aggravated burglary. (VIDEO)

McCowen later told the judge who presided over his month-long trial that he was not responsible for the 46-year-old woman's death.

"I feel sorry for the victim's family, the daughter and her. I never meant for this to take place," said McCowen during his sentencing hearing. "Throughout this whole trial, I sat and would think to myself, 'Why me?' ... I am an innocent man in this case."

Without comment, Superior Court Judge Gary Nickerson sentenced McCowen to life in prison without parole for the murder, and two concurrent life terms for the rape and burglary.

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The verdicts and sentence bring an end to a month-long trial, and may close the book on a sensational case that stunned the cape community of North Truro. After Worthington's battered, half-naked body was discovered inside her beach house on Jan. 6, 2002, police focused their investigation on several ex-boyfriends, including the neighbor who found the body and a married man who fathered her toddler daughter.

Tony Jackett, the father of Worthington's now 7-year-old daughter, Ava, told Court TV that he agreed with the verdict but was surprised by the length of deliberations given the fact that police had McCowen's DNA and incriminating statements.

"I am hoping they have the right man ... I am happy with the outcome," said Jackett, who lost a fight for custody of Ava in 2002 because, in part, he was still among a short list of suspects in the homicide.

Ava was found clinging to her mother's body, and police believed she may have been there alone for more than a day.

Questions of race

Jurors deliberated more than 13 hours over three days following the dismissal Tuesday of a juror who discussed media coverage of the case with her jailed boyfriend. Before that juror's dismissal, the panel deliberated for more than 28 hours over five days before informing the court that it was deadlocked.

Christa Worthington, with her daughter Ava, was found murdered in her home in January 2002.

As he was led into court in leg shackles to hear the verdicts, McCowen wiped tears from his eyes. He was wearing a suit, but after the verdicts, he changed into a blue sweat suit that his lawyer bought for him.

McCowen was charged with killing Worthington, whose home was on his garbage route, on April 14, 2005. Several days earlier, the Massachusetts State Police crime laboratory matched McCowen's DNA with DNA extracted from semen found inside Worthington's body.