CLAYTON - After a full week of trial, it only took a jury around four and half hours to return a guilty verdict convicting Trenton Forster of first-degree murder for the death of Officer Blake Snyder.

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Over a hundred officers were present Friday offering their support and condolences to the family of Blake Snyder as the jury deliberated before presenting Forster with a life sentence for the 2016 murder.

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Following the verdict, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell and Chief of Police Jon Belmar, offered their “deepest condolences to the Snyder family,” at a press conference.

Chief Belmar said the trial and receiving the verdict are a primary part of the healing process.

“Blake Snyder is always going to be with us,” Chief Belmar said. “He’s going to be with us, like all of the fallen officers of the past, they never really leave us. They’re always part of our police family, sometimes even more so than those of us who work here for thirty years and retire. We’re never going to forget him, and I’m grateful for the jury’s decision. I’m happy for the family, I think it causes some amount of relief. It doesn’t bring Blake back, but I think it does validate a part of his life.”

“Thank God for people like Blake Snyder,” Belmar added.

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