Harlow Cuadra escaped the death penalty but will spend the rest of his life in prison for the grizzly slaying of a competing gay porn producer.

The life sentence came after jurors in a Pennsylvania courtroom couldn’t agree on the factors that would bring about the death penalty after more than five hours of deliberations.

Cuadra was found guilty last week of murdering Bryan Kocis. Cuadra’s former boyfriend and business partner pleaded guilty last year for his role in the slaying. The case included an Atlanta tie, with computer consultant Howard Mitch Halford testifying that he loved Cuadra and attempted to help him once he was suspected in the homicide.

Halford was a long standing escort client of Cuadra.

Halford testified on the seventh day of Cuadra’s capital murder trial before Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. that Cuadra solicited him to tell investigators that he was with Cuadra the night Kocis was killed on Jan. 24, 2007.

Halford initially told investigators that he was with Cuadra, but later recanted, saying he saw Cuadra once during a two-week span in late January.

Halford said he gave Cuadra $70,000 for his love for him. He also knew Cuadra’s business partner, Joseph Kerekes.

Halford described the relationship with Cuadra and Kerekes as “a little puppy.”

“Kerekes had such control over Harlow, how would I describe it, it was like a little puppy,” Halford said.

Read a timeline of the case.