A Joliet man has been found guilty of murder in the death of an 8-month-old boy from West Chicago.

Jury deliberations began Tuesday afternoon in the second murder trial of Santos Loza. The verdict was returned about 4:30 p.m.

Prosecutors finished their case Monday with a pathologist testifying about the injuries that led to 8-month-old Kevion Bender's death in October 2008.

Defense attorneys recalled retired Joliet Det. John Nosal to ask what developed between the initial investigation and Loza's arrest in August 2010 and rested their case.

Loza did not testify.

Loza, who had been babysitting the child in his Joliet home, was the only person with the infant in the time frame the injuries were inflicted, according to prosecutors.

"That time line is completely dependent on your believing Sandra Sitko [Kevion's mother] beyond a reasonable doubt," defense attorney Joseph Lopez told jurors Tuesday.

At the time of Kevion's death, Sitko was dating Loza, and she and her sons were living with her father in West Chicago.

With Sitko sitting 20 feet away, Lopez speculated she was responsible for her son's death.

"She said she saw this relationship going somewhere. Did she kill her son to start over?" he asked.

Assistant Will County State's Attorney Chris Koch said that idea "goes against common sense."

"He's actually arguing she killed her 8-month old son to start over, but you can't kill a 5-year-old [Kevion's brother], I guess. He's OK," Koch asked jurors.