After finding that the State had met all three aggravating factors for the death penalty and determined that they were not out weighed by the mitigating factors presented by the defendant's defense counsel, the jury reached the sentence of death. The jury could have sentenced Cheever to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but chose not to.
Cheever had been found guilty of:
- Capital murder of Sheriff Matt Samuels
- Attempted capital murder of Deputy Mike Mullins
- Attempted capital murder of Deputy Tom Harm
- Attempted capital murder of State Trooper Robert Keener
- Attempted capital murder of State Trooper Travis Stoppel
- Criminal possession of a firearm
- Manufacturing methamphetamine.