Jury finds Florida man guilty in live burial of victim

VIERA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A jury has returned a guilty verdict in the trial of a Cocoa, Florida man accused of playing a roll in the death of a former "Miss Bahamas Universe" contestant.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Vahtiece Alfonzo Kirkman in the 2006 disappearance of Darice Knowles, 22. Kirkman is already serving a life sentence in state prison for a fatal shooting which also happened n 2006.

Authorities said Kirkman and another man, Christopher Pratt, were trying to cover up that robbery-related shooting but Pratt's ex-girlfriend, Knowles, knew about it. Prosecutors said Kirkman threatened to kill Pratt, unless Pratt killed the beauty pageant contestant.

Kirkman and Pratt were eventually arrested in 2010 for the 2006 killing of 29-year-old Willie Parker, and that's when Pratt led detectives to Knowles' body, in exchange for a lighter prison sentence. Detectives said Knowles appeared to be duct-taped and buried alive in concrete.

Kirkman's lawyer has argued that he was not directly involved in Knowles' death.