Aurora resident Keith Zotto has been found guilty of murder after he shot his wife in the face and hid her body in a trash can, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced.

The jury found Keith, 46, guilty of first-degree murder after deliberation Tuesday in the death of 35-year-old Amber Zotto.

The verdict came after a five-day trial before Arapahoe County District Court Judge Joseph Whitfield.

“Absolutely this was the right outcome,” said District Attorney John Kellner. “This man had no regard for a human life, even when it was his wife and the mother of his children. He stayed in that house with those kids, knowing their mother was dead in the garage.”

On July 2, 2019, Amber’s mother called the Aurora Police Department to report her daughter missing, saying she hadn’t been able to contact her for multiple days.

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Police went to Amber’s home where her two children said they hadn’t seen their mother in two days.

Police called Keith, who was at work, and he told them Amber left during the night two days earlier after they got into a fight. He also said she left a suicide note.

After getting permission from Keith, police searched the home and found Amber’s body in a trash can in the garage, along with a gun. Her body was hidden under carpet and debris, according to the arrest affidavit.

“He literally threw her away and left her to rot,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Laura Wilson in her closing argument . “When you take a gun and point it at someone’s head … you know what happens when you pull that trigger.”

According to the arrest affidavit, Keith’s sister also called the police after he admitted to her that he killed his wife.

She said Keith told her he shot Amber in the face and that, when he pointed the gun at her, Amber put her hands up and begged him not to shoot.

Keith will be sentenced on July 19. The mandatory penalty for first-degree murder is life in prison without possibility of parole.