PITTSBURGH -- A Pittsburgh man tried to claim self-defense but was found guilty of third-degree murder for killing a Jefferson Hills man whose body is still missing after four years.

Prosecutors asked for a more serious verdict of first-degree murder against Bryan Sedlak, 37, of the Greenfield neighborhood, but an Allegheny County jury did not agree.

However, Judge Jeffrey Manning told Sedlak that he should rethink his story if he expects to get anything less than the maximum possible sentence of 20 to 40 years.

"I'm just very thankful," said victim Patrick Kenney's mother, Ellen. "It's been four years. It's been a little too long for all of us. We're very happy. Justice was served, without a doubt."

Patrick Kenney, 22, of Jefferson Hills, disappeared after leaving his parents' home around dinnertime one night in February 2005. His body has yet to be located.

"Hopefully, this brings a little peace to the Kenney family, even though they still don't have their son back," Assistant District Attorney Lisa Pellegrini said.

Sedlak testified that he shot Kenney at the former Water's Edge tanning salon, which Sedlak was renovating in Homestead, because Kenney tried to attack and rob him after they spent hours doing cocaine together.

Sedlak was also found guilty of abuse of a corpse -- even though Kenney's remains are nowhere to be found -- because the jury did not buy his story that the body was moved by a friend who never told Sedlak what he did with it.

"We're hoping Bryan Sedlak finally tells us the truth and tells us where Patrick Kenney's body is, and then this case will finally be closed," said Kenney's brother, J.P.

Kenney's sport utility vehicle was found parked on a street near Sedlak's home shortly after he disappeared, but Sedlak was not charged until two years later, when county police got accounts from a witness who saw Sedlak with the body rolled up in a carpet at the tanning salon.

The jury started its deliberations shortly before noon Tuesday. At one point, jurors took a break to ask Judge Jeffrey Manning to repeat the definitions of first-degree murder, third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter.

"We are very thankful for these people helping us," J.P. Kenney said. "Today is Patrick Kenney's day, and he's looking down from Heaven and he's very, very happy."

Sedlak is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11. His bail was revoked and he was taken to the county jail after the jury's verdict was announced.

"The jury has spoken. We have lots of appeals issues, and we're going to keep fighting this matter," defense attorney Paul Boas said.