stood to learn her fate. >> we, the jury, find the defendant, sandra jean melgar, guilty of murder the indictment. >> reporter: sandra collapsed into her chair sobbing. lizz, beyond devastated, grasped for her mother as she was led away. >> it sucked the life out of me. i just felt like my world was collapsing. >> we just could not believe it. could not believe this was happening to her. >> reporter: why don't you think they bought the story of intruders coming into the house and doing what they did? >> i don't really know. >> happens all the time. >> exactly. i don't really know what was going on in their heads. i wish i knew why they, you know, found her guilty. >> reporter: to prosecutor barnett, this was justice, both for the state and for jaime melgar. >> she's committed a crime, and they found her guilty, and i'm glad. i've done my job, and justice has been served. >> reporter: the jury sentenced sandra to 27 years in prison. her lawyers have begun the years-long appellate process. from behind bars, sandra wrote us this letter saying she's at peace because she knows she's inn