Clearwater , Florida ( CNN ) -- A 20-year-old Florida woman involved in a love triangle was found guilty Friday of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing her romantic rival in a fight 15 months ago . Rachel Wade convulsed in sobs as the bailiff read the six-person jury 's verdict , which carries a sentence of 20 1/2 years to life in prison . She dabbed her eyes with a tissue , chewed on her lips and brushed her long blond hair away from her face , tucking it behind her ear . Then , accompanied by a guard , she stood and walked out of the courtroom , to be taken to Pinellas County Jail . Wade testified Thursday that she stabbed 18-year-old student Sarah Ludemann only after she herself was hit three times in the head during the fight . Ludemann , who was unarmed , died at the scene after being stabbed twice in the chest . The jury did n't buy Wade 's claim that she acted in self-defense -- returning its verdict after just 2 1/2 hours of deliberation . Inside the courtroom , Charlie Ludemann , the victim 's father , breathed deeply upon hearing the verdict , then turned to his wife and nodded . Wade did not appear to look at the dozens of teenagers who sat on her side of the courtroom . `` There 's no doubt that both of these families will be devastated for the rest of their lives , '' defense lawyer Jay Hebert told reporters after the verdict . He said his client had insisted on a trial and had rejected suggestions she approach the prosecution to discuss a plea bargain . `` She wanted to testify her side of the story , and I commend her for that , '' he said . `` The jury made their call . '' Hebert described himself as `` somewhat shocked , '' given the short deliberation . `` I just did n't think it would be that way , '' he said . Wade , at 5-foot-4 and 110 pounds , had no criminal record and testified that she had never been in a fight before . She said she headed to a friend 's house with a knife only after being told that 5-foot-9 , 166-pound Ludemann was heading to her home . Instead , Ludemann and her friends found her outside the friend 's house . `` I did n't think they would attack me if they saw the knife , '' she said . She testified that she swung the knife after being hit three times but was n't aware she had stabbed Ludemann until one of the victim 's friends told her so . `` I did n't know where she was stabbed or how severe it was , '' Wade said . `` I was scared . '' During cross-examination , Wade -- who worked at a restaurant -- acknowledged Thursday having thrown the knife into a neighboring yard , but said , `` I did n't know what happened , and I did n't want anybody else to get hold of it . '' Prosecutor Lisset G. Hanewicz was unpersuaded . `` Why get rid of it if you are acting in self-defense ? '' she asked Friday in a closing argument . `` She wanted to get rid of the evidence . She showed no remorse . She knew she stabbed her . '' Animosity between Wade and Ludemann had gone back months -- and it centered on their mutual love interest , Joshua Camacho , then 20 . In an August 29 , 2008 , voice mail , Wade can be heard saying , `` I 'm guaranteeing you I 'm going to ... murder you , '' and in another , she tells Ludemann , `` You are a f***ing fat b**** and I 'm going to f***ing kill you , I swear on my life , '' Wade said in a voice mail left for Ludemann . Another one said , `` Josh may have played me , but , b**** , I 'm going to play your a** out too , so watch . '' `` Those tapes were our most difficult obstacle , '' Hebert told reporters afterward . `` Those tapes were very powerful . '' Wade testified that Ludemann had left similar messages for her , but that she had deleted them . Camacho testified Thursday that he considered both women `` friends with benefits '' and was n't seeing either one exclusively at the time . `` In Session 's '' Lena Jakobsson and Beth Karas contributed to this story .
Rachel Wade sobs as the verdict was read . The conviction carries a penalty of 20 1/2 years to life . Wade says she stabbed romantic rival in self-defense .