Wayne County Prosecutor Tom Plymale says the first few hours of a high-profile murder investigation were the most important.

The prosecutor is reflecting back now on the murder of Huntington minister Mark McCalla after a second defendant, Stephen Wilson, was convicted Thursday.

Plymale says the June 19, 2008 robbery and shooting of McCalla at the Beech Fork gun range would have likely been difficult to prosecute without a quick break in the investigation.

"Had the defendants gotten beyond Columbus, Ohio and disposed of the weapon that they had, which was the last link to the victim, it would have been a very, very difficult case to solve and prosecute," Plymale said.

Wilson and Daniel Smith were both AWOL from Fort Drum, New York. They were staying with a friend in Huntington. Plymale says the Army deserters decided to take up a life of crime. They were apprehended in a Columbus bus station following the murder. McCalla's handgun was in a backpack.

The prosecutor says another key part of the investigation was the information given by a man just leaving the shooting range when Wilson and Smith arrived. "He gave us some very specific information about a car with New York tags and a gentlemen with a Mohawk and it allowed us to be led to these two individuals," Plymale said.

Smith was convicted first and has been sentenced to 90 years in prison. Wilson wasn't convicted for first-degree murder like Smith. The jury came back Thursday with a conviction on second-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

Prosecutor Plymale told the jury Thursday he still didn’t know who actually shot McCalla, but he does believe Wilson and Smith are equally responsible.

Wilson will be sentenced March 15.