A 25-year-old defendant was found guilty on Dec. 15 of murdering a Job Corps counselor two years ago in Hollywood.

Jurors deliberated for approximately three hours before finding defendant Freddy Leyva guilty of first-degree murder. The panel also found Leyva guilty of the special allegation of using a knife in the homicide.

Leyva was living at a Job Corps facility in the 1200 block of Lodi Place when he killed Dwayne Alexander on March 14, 2012. Alexander was working as a counselor at the facility at the time. Leyva stabbed the victim multiple times before other residents subdued and disarmed him, and held him until police arrived.

Leyva faces 26 years to life in state prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Jan. 13.