STAUNTON, Va. (WINA) – Travis Ryan Brown, the first of two to go on trial for the death of Khaleesi Cuthriell, was found guilty of all charges against him in Augusta Circuit Court on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The charges included aggravated murder, for which the only sentence is life without the possibility of parole. Also among the eight chargers were child cruelty and concealing a dead body.

The 3-year-old was placed in the home of Brown’s live-in partner, Candi Jo Royer, when Amanda Arey could find no one else to keep her daughter before being placed in the Middle River Regional Jail on a probation violation in Oct. of 2020.

Authorities believe the toddler was killed in mid-Jan. of 2021, but it wasn’t discovered that she was missing until Royer was reported missing in Sept. of 2021, at which time an Amber Alert was issued. Brown and Royer were soon apprehended in a Pennsylvania motel.

Evidence showed that Khaleesi was being abused soon after the toddler moved into Brown and Royer’s home on Cattle Scales Rd. Videos and photographs showed most of her body was covered in bruises, cuts and burns after just a few weeks.

Video of Khaleesi taken on Jan. 12, 2021, showed a frightened and confused child being verbally berated by Royer while being made to stand naked in a dry bathtub in her own feces. The girl was visibly shaking and covered in cuts and bruises, with much of her hair missing. Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tim Martin told the jury that this may have been the last day she was alive.

Jurors also saw video of Brown’s interrogation, during which he first told investigators that Khaleesi was alive. He later said that Khaleesi died after hitting her head. He panicked, he said, and instead of calling for help he wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the trash. Investigators have not been able to recover Khaleesi’s remains.

The trial was scheduled to last through the week, but closing arguments were presented on Wednesday morning. Defense attorney Dana Cormier presented no evidence and declined to put any witnesses on the stand. Jurors went into deliberations at about 12:30 p.m. and came back with a verdict in less than four hours. Like in other instances, some were in tears when the verdict was announced.

Brown will be sentenced in on Feb. 8, 2024. Candi Jo Royers is scheduled to go on trial in October.