Two Lancaster city men were convicted of second-degree murder charges Wednesday for the 2006 shooting of 31-year-old Shawn "Reds" Hutchinson.

Ernest "Butch" Rykard and Jacquin "Mike" Carr each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole after a jury returned the guilty verdict about 3 p.m.

The jury deliberated for more than four hours as to whether Hutchinson was killed during a robbery scheme on Nov. 29, 2006, involving the defendants and two women.

Prosecutors argued that the men ambushed Hutchinson outside his apartment at 516½ E. Chestnut St., and Rykard shot Hutchinson once in the back of the head.

Defense attorneys Cory J. Miller and Janice Martino Longer had argued that Hutchinson was killed when a drug deal went bad, and that no robbery was planned or executed.

Lancaster County Judge Dennis E. Reinaker will sentence the men within 90 days.

Neither defendant had an immediate reaction when the jury foreman read the guilty verdicts.

Later, Rykard looked at Assistant District Attorney Christopher Lechner — with whom he had sparred while testifying Tuesday — and said, "Yo! Great job," while shaking Lechner's hand.

Carr sipped from a cup of water and grinned as the verdicts were read. He remained silent until chatting with Rykard as the two defendants were escorted out of the courtroom.

More than a dozen lawyers from the district attorney's office, including District Attorney Craig Stedman, sat in the gallery for the verdict. Detectives and officers with Lancaster city police also watched.

Rykard waived to the group of lawyers and officers as he left the courtroom.

The trial spanned eight days, including five days of testimony.

The two accused accomplices to Rykard, 43, and Carr, 37, testified last week.

Liz Rosario-Casanova and Rachel Rakita both testified that a robbery plot was hatched after the group ran out of crack cocaine. They testified that Rykard played a key role in planning the robbery.

The women testified that Rakita initiated the drug deal and drew Hutchinson out of his apartment so the men could jump him.

Hutchinson was shot while laying in a courtyard near the steps of his apartment complex, according to testimony.

"Obviously, having two co-defendants who were there on the night of the homicide testify was very significant — as well as Carr's girlfriend," Lechner said after the verdict. Barbara Hamm, who wasn't charged but was inside the group's car during the robbery, affirmed previous testimony.

Lechner also said testimony from forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne Ross was a huge blow to the defense.

Ross testified that Hutchinson was shot "execution style," and the murder weapon was only inches from Hutchinson's head when it was fired.

"Dr. Ross was crucial in disproving Mr. Rykard's story," Lechner said.

On Tuesday, Rykard testified that he was attacked by Hutchinson and was in a "struggle for his life" before he shot Hutchinson.

Rosario-Casanova testified that she never saw Hutchinson throw a punch.

Rykard testified that Hutchinson was killed with his own gun and that the shooting was accidental.

The murder weapon was never recovered.

Lechner said he was "very pleased" with the verdict and credited police with laying the foundation for a strong case.

"This verdict was really a testament to the men and woman at Lancaster city police who worked so hard on this case," he said.

E-mail: bhambright@lnpnews.com