A man was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted him of the vicious stabbing death of Josue Flores, an 11-year-old who was murdered as he walked home after school, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Wednesday.

“This brutal murder of an innocent child in the middle of the day shook our entire community,” Ogg said. “People from all walks of life, including those who didn’t know Josue, have experienced a genuine loss because children are our future. We are proud of the prosecutors and police who worked hard over the past six long years to finally bring justice to the Flores family.”

A jury convicted Andre Timothy Jackson, 33, of murder Tuesday after seven days of trial. A judge sentenced him to life Wednesday.

Jackson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys John Jordan and Chris Condon.

“The great result is finally – finally – we got justice,” Jordan said. “Not many times in this courthouse do we know the case by the name of the victim, and that’s a shame. But this case is known (as) the case of Josue Flores because he was 11 years old. This month he should be walking across a stage at graduation, and instead his killer got a life sentence.”

Jurors heard testimony about how Josue was attacked at approximately 4:45 p.m. on May 17, 2016. He was walking home when a neighbor heard him pleading for his life. He was stabbed 20 times. The attacker with a distinctive green jacket stabbed the boy and then ran from the scene.

Jackson was later arrested and his jacket was tested for DNA. When the DNA evidence was inconclusive, Jackson was released. Three years later, the Houston Police Department’s cold-case unit sent the DNA extract from the green jacket (which had been taken by the Department of Public Safety) to a lab in Florida with more advanced instruments and techniques. That lab was able to determine that Josue’s DNA was present. Jackson was rearrested and ultimately convicted at trial and sentenced.