Authorities have said that a Rhode Island man was found guilty Tuesday of killing a 15-year-old girl who was set to testify against him in a murder trial.

The Providence (R. I.) Journal has reported that Charles E. "Manny" Pona, 29, was convicted in the May 2000 murder of Jennifer Rivera. Prosecutors argued Pona conspired with two other men to kill Rivera to prevent her from testifying against Pona in the 1999 slaying of Hector Feliciano.

The newspaper further said that rivera had identified Pona as the man she saw climbing over a fence after Feliciano was shot to death. She was killed the day before Pona's trial for the killing of Feliciano was to start.

It was found by the Providence jury that Pona was guilty of murder, conspiracy, carrying an unlicensed pistol, carrying a firearm while committing a crime of violence and obstruction of justice in the death of Rivera.

The Journal further reported that Pona had been found guilty of killing Rivera in a trial in 2003, but the Rhode Island Supreme Court overturned that conviction, saying Pona had not received a fair trial. (With Inputs from Agencies)