A jury has found a 28-year-old Fraser man guilty of first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder and home invasion related to the stabbing and subsequent death of a Macomb Township woman.

After two-and-a-half hours of deliberation Sept. 14, the 12-member jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts for Joseph T. Reiner, the man accused of breaking into 69-year-old Joann Eisenhardt’s Fairchild Road home, stabbing her in the neck with two steak knives and stealing $2 worth of jewelry on Feb. 23, 2011.

For the victim’s family, this verdict was met with tears, hugs and a sense of relief in knowing that justice had at last been served for the woman they affectionately knew as "Mrs. Pinky," a mother, grandmother, sister and dedicated Red Hat lady.

When asked for his reaction to the verdict, Eisenhardt’s eldest son Howard said, “It’s like a ton of bricks just got lifted off.”

The Eisenhardt family has been a fixture in the courtroom since the first charges against Reiner were filed almost two years ago. 

“Today was a good day in court,” Howard Eisenhardt said, speaking on behalf of his family. “One thing is for sure. Joseph Reiner can’t do this anymore. This cycle of behavior is broken, hopefully forever.”

Although Reiner covered the pair of devil horns he had tattooed on his forehead prior to the trial, Howard Eisenhardt said he believes the $60 worth of make-up used to mask them couldn't "cover what he’s done.”

“There’s only one place those horns will take him and that’s a one-way ticket to hell,” he said. “My mom did not deserve to die the way she did. She was an angel in people’s lives and she’s been surrounded by angels her whole life.”

Reiner will be sentenced on Oct. 31. He could face life in prison for his crimes.

Come back to Patch tomorrow for a closer look at the evidence that lead to this verdict.