DETROIT — On Thursday, Theodore Wafer was found guilty of second degree murder by a jury. 

The jury’s verdict comes after Wafer testified Tuesday at his murder trial.  The Dearborn Heights resident fatally shot 19-year-old Renisha McBride on his front porch early November. 

While testifying in court this week, Wafer said, “This poor girl, she had her whole life in front of her. I took that from her.”

Wafer, 55, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and related felony weapons charges in the death of McBride. 

According to his a testimony, Wafer shot McBride after she drunkenly banged on the front door of his home at 4:40 a.m. 

“I knew I had to get my gun,” he said. “I didn’t know where this was going.”

When his attorney asked why he opened his front door, Wafer replied, “I thought they were going to come through. I was not going to cower. I didn’t want to be a victim in my own house.”

Wafer is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 21. “I raised the gun and shot,” he said. “It was them or me.”