THOMASVILLE — A seven-woman, five-man jury deliberated two hours and 20 minutes before returning seven guilty verdicts on Alvin Davis III in September 2013.

The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the verdict and life sentence, in a unanimous decision handed down Monday morning.

Davis argued the original trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial because the evidence to convict him was insufficient and also because of ineffective counsel. In an opinion authored by Justice Charles J. Bethel, the Supreme Court of Georgia affirmed the conviction “because we determine that the evidence was sufficient to authorize a rational jury to find Davis guilty of the crimes for which he was convicted, and that Davis was not denied the effective assistance of counsel.”

Davis was convicted after a three-day trial in Thomas County Superior Court.

He was charged with malice murder, felony murder, arson, armed robbery, aggravated assault, hijacking a motor vehicle and cruelty to children in the July 2012 death of 21-year-old Hassan Hana Williams, a South Carolina soldier.

Judge James E. “Jim” Hardy sentenced Davis to life without parole on the two murder convictions and a life term plus 20 years on the remaining counts.

Davis’ brother, Chaquel Jaquez Cook, entered guilty pleas earlier to malice murder, armed robbery and arson. Hardy sentenced Cook to two life terms for malice murder and armed robbery and a consecutive 20 years for arson.

Williams’ mother and Davis’ and Cook’s mother addressed the court.

William’s mother, Aida Pugh, of Columbia, S.C., asked Hardy to sentence Davis to the maximum penalty.

Davis did not address the court before sentencing.

The murder victim was in Thomasville to visit a friend he met in the military.

He was shot in the back yard of a vacant Metcalfe Avenue residence. His Mercedes was discovered on fire on Millpond Road while law enforcement officers were responding to the shooting scene.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820