An appeal filed by Edward A. Moore Jr. to overturn a first-degree murder conviction has been denied by an Illinois appeals court.

Grundy County State’s Attorney John Bates announced Friday that the Illinois Third District Appellate Court upheld the conviction. He welcomed the news.

“The state’s attorney’s office is very pleased with the outcome of the appeal,” he said. “We followed it closely and we participated in the process and we’re happy that justice has been served.”

In June 1992, a Grundy County jury found Moore guilty in the 1991 death of Morris resident Judy Zeman, in which he attacked, sexually assaulted and killed her by burning her alive. Jurors also found Moore guilty of home invasion, aggravated criminal sexual assault, robbery, residential burglary and arson.

He received a death sentence in the case.

Bates said Moore’s sentence was commuted in a statewide move by former Gov. George Ryan in 2003, which allowed for more appeals of the case.

According to a state’s attorney’s release, Moore has filed several appeals and post-conviction petitions, which have been refuted by both the state’s attorney and appellate prosecutor.