A jury last week convicted a caregiver of murder in the death of a disabled south county man he was supposed to take care of, nearly four years after the man was found dead in a burning duplex on Kinswood Lane.

After a five-day trial that concluded Nov. 7, a jury found Tyrone Benedict, 41, of Maryland Heights, guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree arson for the murder of Mark J. Woods, 40. Woods’ body was discovered in his burning apartment at 140 Kinswood Lane by Mehlville Fire Protection District firefighters on Feb. 23, 2011.

Benedict, who is represented by defense attorney Gilbert Sison and has been held without bond since the day after the murder, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 19.

When police arrested Benedict, they said Woods lived by himself in the apartment, which is part of a duplex, and had limited mobility due to a physical impairment. Benedict was serving as his caregiver.

Leading up to Benedict’s murder trial, he submitted to a swab for DNA evidence and was also examined by a psychiatrist, Dr. John Rabun of the St. Louis Psychiatric Rehab Center, following a motion by Sison for a psychiatric exam.

Prosecutors alleged that Benedict stabbed Woods, who died from smoke inhalation. Benedict was also charged with arson in the case.

Firefighters responding to a neighbor’s 911 call for help kept the fire from spreading, and no other injuries were reported in the blaze that killed Woods.

While searching the apartment, MFPD firefighters found a gas can at the scene, then-MFPD Chief Tim White told the Call at the time.