UPDATE: Family reacts after Clippinger found guilty of double murder

Family members say a double murder conviction for Steven Clippinger puts them one step closer to feelings of closure.

Clippinger was found guilty of murdering his brother Matt and sister-in-law Lisa Clippinger in June of 2012.

"It's a shame it has taken two years plus," says Larry Berry, whose daughter, Lisa, was murdered. "But thank god it's finally here."

About a dozen Clippinger family members who sat through the entire trial sobbed and hugged as the judge gave his decision.

"We can go home and actually get a good nights rest tonight knowing that he's never going to see the light of day again," says Chris Clippinger, Steven's sister-in-law.

Steven Clippinger testified on behalf of himself in the third day of testimony. Several family members were upset with his version of the night Matt and Lisa were murdered. Clippinger claims the whole incident started with an argument over a gun and that he accidentally shot his sister-in-law. He also claims his girlfriend, Jennifer Leveque, shot his brother.

"His story, that was it -- his story," says Karkiewicz. "He was able to listen to what everyone said against him, take overnight to think up his story which did not make a lick of sense."

The family also noted Clippinger's appearance during the testimony.

"Smug," says Berry. "No soul. Until the guilty verdict, I think the smugness kind of left a little bit."

But the family is relieved and hopeful that Clippinger will spend his life behind bars.

"A murderer before, a murderer again," says Karkiewicz. "He has no soul. No soul. No remorse."

The prosecuting attorney says he's relieved for the family that this part of the trial is over.

Matt and Lisa's two kids, who are 14 and 22 years old now, testified that they heard the shots that killed their mother and father.

"I had a hard time with Shelbey testifying," says Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ken Cotter. "I had a hard time with Dylan testifying. Any murder is difficult but those two kids that was very, very difficult."

The judge also convicted Steven for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Steven Clippinger's testimony

Yesterday, the judge heard testimony from Matt and Lisa Clippinger's 14 and 22-year-old children who talked about watching their father die, and hearing the gunshots that killed their mother.

Today, Steven Clippinger took the stand in his own defense and told the judge it all started over an argument about a gun.

And, Clippinger said, his girlfriend, Jennifer Leveque, shot and killed his brother. Steven told the judge he accidentally shot and killed his sister-in-law when he tried to wrestle the phone away from her to call 911 for his brother.

It all started, Clippinger told the judge, in his brother's garage. He testified they drank some beers and at one point smoked pot.

Then the conversation turned to guns when Clippinger says he got out his girlfriend's .38 revolver.

"The only reason I knew not to get into the conversation with him is because I knew how in debt he was and I made the wrong comment, telling him he couldn't get anything because he couldn't pay for anything," Clippinger testified.

His brother took the gun and wouldn't give it back, he said. So he left, picked up Leveque and went back to his brother's house on 11th Street.

Clippinger testified about phone conversations between his brother and Leveque on the way there.

"She just started threatening then after that saying stupid stuff about punching him, burning him up, blowing his house up and all kinds of crazy stuff," Clippinger said.

Clippinger said he initially stayed in the car at his brother's house while Leveque and his brother argued over the gun. Then he decided to intervene, but testified he did not have a gun on him.

He testified he picked his brother up under his arms and threw him into a car. He and Leveque were getting ready to leave when he said his brother got up and "tapped" him in the forehead with a gun.

"I was absolutely amazed and surprised," he testified, appearing to fight back tears. "Jennifer popped up on my right side and she's pointing that gun right at my brother's head."

Clippinger told the judge his brother took a step, turned and that's when Leveque shot him three times.

He said he tried to go inside to call 911, but his brother's wife, Lisa, had the phone and a gun in her hand. He said he accidentally shot her while trying to wrestle the phone away.

"Did you intend to cause her death?" Asked his lawyer, Mark Lenyo.

"No," Clippinger replied. "I just wanted the phone. My brother was hurt and I wanted the phone. I didn't care about anything else."

Clippinger also told the judge it was Leveque's idea to pack her car and get out of town.

He said she even tried putting her .40 caliber revolver between Clippinger's seat and the center console but he told the judge it wouldn't fit because that's where he'd packed his Bible.

In the end, the judge said he had to choose between two different theories about what happened that night and it took him just one hour to side with what investigators have said from the beginning - and find Steven Clippinger guilty of murder and being a violent felon in possession of a firearm.