SHERMAN, TX -- Thursday, jurors found John Saxon guilty of first degree murder and arson. The jury recommends Saxon spend 80 years in prison for each charge.

It was nearly a year ago when Saxon brutally murdered his mother then lit her home on fire. But the family says plenty could have been done to prevent this murder from happening.

An emotional ending to this trial. The jury found John Saxon guilty of first degree murder and arson. But Saxon's family and friends are disappointed in the court's decision.

"This was not the John Saxon that his family in the courtroom today knows," Walker

The jury heard from John Saxon's family members today. They explained Saxon was not in his right mind before the murder occurred and Mary, John's mother, had tried getting him help. Family members believed his tour in Iraq triggered a mental illness. They say the VA hospital failed him.

"I believe and I think the family believes that if they would have sent him on to Waco to where he could have got the psychiatric help that he needed, whether it was six months or a year or however long it took, to get him the mental help that he needed. None of this would have ever occured," Walker said.

The prosecution believed something was wrong with Saxon, but did not believe he was insane.

"You don't beat your mother with a shovel, cut her throat and set her on fire if you're in your right mind," Assistant DA, Kerye Ashmore, said.

Doctors could not diagnose Saxon with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, but he was under the influence of marijuana and alcohol the night of the murder. Assistant DA, Kerye Ashmore, says he's pleased with the guilty verdict.

"We believe that the evidence showed that he was sane and we believe the jury did the right thing in so finding," Ashmore said.

But family members don't agree with this ending.

"Did John do it, yes. Is he guilty of the offense, sure. The family knows the truth. The family knows that Mary would have wanted John to receive the help he needs," Walker said.