Inmate convicted in murder of fellow inmate

An inmate who was accused of killing another inmate at the Indiana State Prison was convicted of murder and possession of a deadly weapon by an inmate, according to the La Porte County Prosecutor's Office.

Francisco Amaro was found guilty on January 23 of the murder of 49-year-old Willie Steele.

Amaro was in prison for another, unrelated murder in July 2017, when the murder happened.

The jury deliberated for over three hours before convicting Amaro.

The state says it was a difficult case to prosecute because some of the inmate witnesses did not cooperate.

“I find it very difficult to celebrate a guilty verdict, especially when the case involves murder, because the victim’s family is never made whole. Nonetheless, I am glad that I was finally able to get back into court and try a case, which was one of the promises I made to the citizens of LaPorte County when I ran for this office. I wanted to be a trial attorney, first and foremost," Prosecutor John Lake said in a press release.

Sentencing is set for March 13, 2020, at 9 a.m.