ABINGDON -- The jury recommended the death penalty for William Morva today.

The jury convicted Morva, 26, formerly of Chesterfield County, of capital murder Tuesday in connection with the August 2006 deaths of hospital guard Derrick McFarland and Montgomery County sheriff's deputy Eric Sutphin. Morva was an inmate at the Montgomery jail and had escaped a deputy's custody when he killed the two.

"Lock that jail and throw away the key," attorney Tony Anderson said.

In his closing argument today, Montgomery prosecutor Brad Finch urged jurors to give Morva the death penalty, arguing that he would constitute a danger to society if left to live.

"What makes this particular defendant so dangerous is that this defendant is extremely intelligent and extremely violent," Finch said. He noted that Morva shot McFarland, 32, in the face from two feet, even though the security guard was unarmed, and Sutphin, 40, was shot in the back of the head.

The jury began its deliberations at 12:30 p.m.