JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On Wednesday, a jury found 52-year-old Alva Fleming guilty of attempted first degree murder, solicitation to commit murder in the first degree and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

When Fleming and his wife had an argument at their home in 2009, Fleming's stepson tried to intervene, according to a news release from the State Attorney's Office.

Fleming went outside and came back in with a gun. Fleming shot at   Trey Byrd several times, the release said, as he walked away down a hallway, hitting him once. Fleming made the argument he was acting in self-defense when he shot Byrd.

While Fleming was in the Duval County Jail between December 2011 and June 2012, the release said he approached an inmate about killing his wife and her two sons, who were witnesses to the crime.  One of the sons Fleming plotted to have killed was Byrd.

After the inmate contacted the State Attorney's Office, they went undercover, gathering details of who Fleming wanted to kill and how much he was willing to pay. When it took too long for them to be killed, the release said Fleming offered the undercover inmate the deed to his home as collateral.

Fleming has a prior conviction from 2002 for battery on a law enforcement officer. He also has seven other felony conviction, the release said. Fleming is scheduled to be sentenced the week of October 15. He faces life in prison.

First Coast News