HOUSTON -- Jurors heard from the mother of a murdered student Friday in the punishment phase of the trial of a man who killed, dismembered and burned the remains of his ex-girlfriend, KPRC Local 2 reported.

After nearly six hours of deliberation, Timothy Shepherd, 28, was found guilty Thursday of murder in connection with the death of Texas A&M freshman Tynesha Stewart, 19, during spring break in March 2007.

After emotional testimony from the victim's mother, prosecutors rested their case Friday in the sentencing phase of the trial.

Stewart's mother, Gayle Shields, cried as she testified, "I forgive Tim, but I really hope he can get some help."

The defense tried to show jurors a different side of Shepherd. Several of his friends and family took the stand.

Shepherd's mother said he never met his biological father and said she always taught him to treat a lady like a queen.

Shepherd's sister testified that is a great father to his 6-year-old daughter.

"He is her world and she is his world. She needs him and they are very close," she testified.

A cousin and church friend described Shepherd as loving and honest.

Many of Shepherd's friends and family testified to not knowing about his drug use, his physical abuse toward Stewart and his prior fraud schemes.

Stewart's family has described Shepherd as abusive and controlling.

Police said that Shepherd confessed to choking Stewart, taking her body apart and using two barbecue grills to dispose of her body. According to court records, police recovered 30 pieces of charred bone and hair from Shepherd's apartment.

A Harris County sheriff's deputy told the jury that Shepherd has not been a model inmate.

The deputy said he found razor blades, pornography and other contraband items inside of Shepherd's jail cell. The deputy also said that Shepherd had behavioral problems and disrespected other deputies.

Shepherd faces up to life in prison.