Man convicted in rape, murder of Reno coed
RENO -- A Nevada man has been convicted of raping and murdering a 19-year-old college coed during a string of attacks that had the city of Reno on edge for most of 2008.
A Washoe District Court jury found James Biela guilty Thursday of all five counts tied to the murder of Brianna Denison and sexual assault of two other women.
The same jury that took only hours to reach a verdict now must decide if the 28-year-old pipe fitter should be sentenced to death.
The assaults began in October 2007 around the college campus just north of the downtown casino district and culminated in Denison's kidnapping, rape and strangulation in January 2008.
Detectives say it was the work of a serial rapist who had a fetish for thong underwear.
