An Aggie dropout is guilty of brutally killing a prized horse. It took the jury only 11 minutes Thursday to decide the fate of 22-year-old Kenneth Peterson.

Peterson had pleaded not guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals. He testified in his own defense Thursday morning, but it was not enough.

Peterson told jurors that he was so drunk, he blacked out the night prized horse "Cowgirl Chick," was tortured. He testified he remembers nothing about that night, but said he would never do anything like that to an animal.

However, when prosecutors asked if he killed the horse, Peterson couldn't answer because he said he could not remember.

During closing arguments, the state said evidence proved Peterson was guilty. Police found blood on his clothes, blood and horse hair on his knife, a cut on his leg, and witnesses testified Peterson admitted to killing the mare.

"Don't make any mistake," Brazos County Assistant District Attorney Shane Phelps told the jury. "Kenneth Peterson did this to this horse. That horse was tortured."

The defense argued it was not in Peterson's nature to abuse an animal and called several character witnesses to back their claim. The defense also cited a doctor's testimony, saying even though Peterson was severely drunk, he would not have changed his personality to that extent.

The punishment phase of the trial will begin Friday morning. The jury will decide Peterson's sentence. He faces up to two years in jail.