CLEVELAND -- The jury in the Terrance Hough triple-murder trial recommended a sentence of life in prison without parole.

A judge later followed the jury's recommendation when he sentenced Hough, after the families and friends of the victims read their impact statements.

The jury heard closing arguments from the prosecution and the defense Thursday morning and began deliberations at 11:30 a.m. They deliberated for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Hough is the Cleveland firefighter convicted of fatally shooting his neighbor Jacob Feichtner and his two friends, Katherine Rosby and Bruce Anderson, because he was upset over noise from fireworks on the Fourth of July.

The jury could have recommend life in prison with parole, life in prison without parole or the death sentence.