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Serial killer Anthony Sowell guilty of Cleveland murders

Defense attorney John Parker, left, talks with Anthony Sowell on Tuesday, July 19 AP Photo

(CBS/WOIO/AP) CLEVELAND, Ohio - The jury in the trial of accused Cleveland serial killer Anthony Sowell returned guilty verdicts Friday on multiple counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of 11 women whose remains were found in and around Sowell's home.

Pictures: Anthony Sowell's Alleged Victims

The jury deliberated two hours Wednesday and all day Thursday. Sowell showed no emotion as the judge read the jury's verdict.

Sowell is eligible to receive the death penalty, reports CBS affiliate WOIO. The phase of the trial to determine if he will receive it will begin Monday, August 1.

Sowell, 51, lured the women to his home with alcohol and drugs and killed them, say police.

Sowell had pleaded not guilty in the deaths of the 11 women who disappeared in his drug-ridden East Cleveland neighborhood starting in October 2007.

 The defense rested Tuesday without calling a single witness.

The prosecution rested on Monday after showing the jury an eight-hour police interrogation of Sowell in which he said "I guess I did that" when asked about the bodies.

Sowell faced 85 counts in total, including aggravated murder, offenses against a human corpse, tampering with evidence, kidnapping and felonious assault. He was found guilty of all of them, reports WOIO, except for aggravated robbery.

Complete coverage of the Anthony Sowell case on Crimesider

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