SAN ANTONIO -- A jury on Thursday sentenced Ronnie Neal to die by lethal injection for the capital murder of Alamo Heights teacher Diane Tilly.

Jurors deliberated for about four hours before making the life or death decision.

"I'm really pleased with how this all turned out," said Stephen Tilly, the victim's son, who sat through hours of graphic testimony detailing his mother's kidnapping, rape and murder in November 2004. "Justice has been served in this case."

Stephen Tilly was joined by family members and friends of his mother for the sentencing. Some of them wept after the verdict was read.

Neal was not in court for his sentencing. He decided not to take part, sending a judge a letter earlier this week, saying he had AIDS and wanted to commit suicide. Two days later, Neal was hospitalized after he overdosed on some medication.

The fact that Neal wasn't in court didn't appear to bother Stephen Tilly or prosecutors.

"That just shows some of his character," Stephen Tilly said. "He can do, like these terrible things, and decide he can not show his face and have to hear everything he did. We got what we wanted."

Prosecutor Catherine Babbitt said that Neal's no-show made things "a little less tense."

"It really didn't bother me, one way or the other," she added. "We didn't have all the security issues associated with him and escape attempts. So, frankly, it was a little better for me and my state of mind that he wasn't here."

Neal will have to appear before the judge to be formally sentenced.

His daughter, who participated in the slaying, has pleaded guilty in exchange for a 30-year sentence as part of a plea deal.