( CNN ) -- Alexander Alfaro was convicted Tuesday on 16 of 17 charges related to the 2007 execution-style killings of three college friends . Alfaro , 20 , was convicted of murder , felony murder , robbery , conspiracy and weapons charges , according to acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray . Alfaro was found not guilty of attempted murder of Natasha Aeriel , the sole survivor of the attack . He is the third person convicted in the killing of Terrance Aeriel , 18 ; Dashon Harvey , 20 ; and Lofemi Hightower , 20 , by shooting them in the head after forcing them to kneel against a wall on the grounds of an elementary school in Newark , New Jersey . Alfaro 's attorney was not immediately available for comment . Three other defendants -- Jose Carranza , 32 ; Gerardo Gomez , 18 ; and Shahid Baskerville , 19 -- have yet to go to trial . `` We hope that he will join both of his other co-defendants , who are now serving multiple life sentences in state prison , '' said prosecutor Robert Laurino at a news conference announcing the verdict . `` As I have sadly said on two prior occasions , I hope that this verdict will give some small degree of solace to the families of Lofemi Hightower , Dashon Harvey , Terrence Aeriel and Natasha Aeriel . '' `` Our work did not end today , '' said Romesh Sukhdeo , a prosecutor who tried the case . `` We will now move forward and prepare for the next trial , which will probably take place in the fall . '' Two other men involved in the attack have been sentenced to life in prison . Melvin Jovel was sentenced to a total of 245 years in November 2010 . He received three life sentences for each murder and 20 years for attempted murder , Carter said . Rodolfo Godinez , the first defendant to be tried for the killings , was found guilty on all 17 counts . Carter said Godinez was involved in gang recruiting and characterized himself as the ringleader who used a handgun and a machete in the slayings . He was sentenced in May 2010 and is serving 216 years in prison . Alfaro was 16 at the time of the killing . He will be sentenced on May 19 and faces multiple life sentences , prosecutors said .
Alexander Alfaro convicted of murder , felony murder , robbery , other charges . Alfaro is the third person found guilty in the killings of three men . Three other defendants have yet to go to trial . Prosecutor : ` The case has been a long and difficult one for us' Comment: I'm not sure what you mean by " long and hard " but it's certainly an uphill battle against these types of cases