Jurors began deliberating Friday over whether Sergio Correa carried out a crime spree that included a triple murder, home invasion, arson and burglary nearly four years ago to the day.

Deliberations began about 11 a.m. Friday morning after nearly a month of often gruesome testimony by more than two dozen witnesses for the prosecution and one for Correa's defense.

Correa, of Hartford, is charged with 14 crimes in connection to the murders of Kenneth, Janet and Matthew Lindquist during a drug deal turned home invasion in Griswold. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

Members of the Lindquist family, including surviving son Eric, Kenneth Lindquist's daughter Danielle Nichols and dozens of other relatives and friends have packed the courtroom nearly every day, sometimes breaking down in tears or stepping outside when testimony became too intense.

The state called more than two dozen witnesses in the trial, who mapped out cellphone location tracking, read dozens of text messages between Sergio Correa and Matthew Lindquist, reviewed autopsy reports, showed graphic crime scene photos and described the violence inflicted on the family.

The defense called one witness in the trial, a woman named Erica Teal who was an inmate at York Correctional Facility in East Lyme at the same time as Sergio Correa's adoptive sister, Ruth. Teal testified that Ruth Correa told her about how she stabbed a man in the woods in Griswold and how it felt "euphoric."

Attorneys for both sides delivered lengthy closing statements Thursday, each poking holes in the other side's argument as they addressed the jury for more than 40 minutes each.

Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Stephen M. Carney walked the jury through the events of the night of Dec. 19 and early morning hours of Dec. 20, 2017, when prosecutors say Ruth and Sergio Correa went to the Lindquist home and unleashed hours of terror that left the three Lindquists and their dog dead. Prosecutors say the siblings also stole the family's cash, jewelry, a heated blanket and all of their Christmas presents, before setting the home on fire.

Carney said the state does not have a doubt that Sergio Correa is guilty of these crimes and said its case is supported by Ruth Correa's eyewitness account of how the night unfolded, testimony by Sergio Correa's ex-girlfriend Tanisha Vicento and by cellphone evidence.

The defense attorneys poked holes in Ruth Correa's testimony — as they did during their cross-examination of the sister and throughout the trial — pointing out discrepancies in her statements and asking the jury members to consider whether or not they could trust her. They also argued that Vicento was coerced to confess by police officers who interviewed her.

Correa is charged with three counts of murder, one count of murder with special circumstances, three counts of murder during the commission of a felony, two counts of second-degree arson in attempt to conceal a criminal act, one count of first-degree burglary at night, two counts of first-degree robbery and home invasion. The charge of murder with special circumstances applies in this case because Correa is accused of killing more than one person during a single incident.

The case is being heard in New London Superior Court Part A, where major crimes are heard. The deliberations resume Monday.

t.hartz@theday.com