A Tarrant County jury on Friday sentenced Stephen Lance Heard to life in prison for gunning down Fort Worth police officer Hank Nava two years ago this month.

Mr. Heard, 41, had faced a possible death sentence after the same jury earlier this week found him guilty of capital murder in connection with the case.

Officer Nava was shot and killed in 2005 while preparing to serve Mr. Heard, 41, an arrest warrant.

Prosecutors had asked the same jury that convicted Mr. Heard to sentence him to death.

“He talks his way into people’s lives and talks his way out of trouble,” prosecutor Betty Arvin told the jury during closing arguments Friday morning. “Did you hear from one friend who said he’s a good guy, that he has a good heart? No, because he doesn’t have a good heart.”

Prosecution witnesses told jurors Mr. Heard used methamphetamines and ran an illegal check printing operation.

Defense attorney Mark Daniel asked the jurors to spare his client’s life.

“The death penalty is reserved for the worst of the worst,” Mr. Daniel said Friday. “Steve Heard is a human being. Steve Heard is one of God’s children. He has fears. He has emotions. He is trembling at this very moment.”