(This post has been updated.)

A Benicia teen accused of murdering family members in 2015 was convicted Wednesday, according to a press release by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s office. The jury had deliberated for two hours before returning the verdict.

Nolen Buchanan, then 16, was at his family’s vacation cabin in Greenwood on Sept. 13, 2015 where he shot his father Adam, father’s fiancee Molly McAfee and 8-year-old half brother Gavin. He then doused the bodies and cabin in gasoline and set them on fire, burning the cabin to his foundation before driving back to his home in Benicia. Buchanan continued to attend classes at Benicia High School until Oct. 1 when detectives removed him from class and arrested him.

During the trial, Buchanan testified that his father shot his brother and McAfee and tried to shoot Buchanan, but he wrestled the gun away and shot him in self-defense. This story was debunked as certain details had been determined to be “forensically impossible.”

Buchanan had also planned to take over the family’s business, according to the release. Prior to his death, Adam had been the president of Buchanan Construction on East 2nd Street.

The jury found Nolen guilty on three counts of first-degree murder with multiple enhancements for the use of a firearm. He is slated to be sentenced on July 12.

“My hope is that these convictions can bring about some sense of justice and closure for the family members of the victims,” El Dorado County DA Vern Pierson said in a statement.

Following the murders, family members established The Gavin Buchanan Memorial Foundation in honor of the youngest victim’s efforts to protect police dogs. Gavin, who was a third-grader at Joe Henderson Elementary School at the time of his death, had donated his entire allowance and chore money at the age of 5 to police K-9s. The nonprofit foundation was established in the fall of 2015 and has raised more than $100,000 toward continuing Gavin’s legacy. The foundation has donated vests, Hot-N-Pops and training and safety equipment to police K-( units in six western states.

“We are glad we are still able to continue to carry forward Gavin’s passion for K-9s and K-9 protection through our involvement with the Gavin Buchanan Memorial Foundation,” the Benicia Police Department wrote on its Facebook page.

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