A Country Club Hills man was found guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday after being accused of slaying a teen he believed robbed his younger brother, according to Will County state's attorney spokesman Chuck Pelkie.

Tommy Crockwell, 46, faces 45 years to life in prison after Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak found him guilty of murdering 19-year-old Johnny Rouse in University Park in 2011, officials said.

“Crockwell hid in the bushes and crept up behind Rouse as (he) walked down a path in the park on the evening of Oct. 26, 2011,” according to a statement from Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office. “The defendant, who was 41 at the time, shot the young man once in the back of the neck.”

Glasgow called Crockwell a “spineless murderer,” who “is the absolute definition of cowardice.”

During a 33-minute recorded conversation, played in court, between Crockwell and an informant wearing a wire, Crockwell admitted shooting Rouse, and other details only the murderer would know, the statement said.

The details included the manner Rouse fell, that he was wearing headphones still connected to his MP3 player and the type of weapon used, a .40-caliber handgun, the statement said.

Crockwell is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 1.

Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter.