After three mistrials, a Suffolk Superior Court jury today convicted two men of fatally slashing a Dorchester woman’s throat during a horrific home invasion and robbery attempt that left a surviving victim with a bullet in his skull, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced.

Jurors found WILLIAM WOOD (D.O.B. 4/17/74) of Roxbury guilty of first-degree murder and QUINCY BUTLER (D.O.B. 3/14/74) of Dorchester guilty of second-degree murder for the homicide of 49-year-old Betsy Tripp in her Monsignor Lydon Way home during the early morning hours of Feb. 13, 2004. Both face a mandatory life term; Wood will never leave prison, while Butler will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years of his sentence.

Prosecutors expect to seek additional prison time, however, for other offenses they committed before, during, and after Tripp’s murder.

In addition to the murder charge, Butler was additionally convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for shooting Tripp’s live-in boyfriend in the face when he tried to help her. Wood was charged with that offense as well; jurors acquitted him of that charge.

Both men were additionally convicted of two counts each of armed robbery and kidnapping, as well as single counts of home invasion and larceny of a motor vehicle.

“The long road to justice for Betsy Tripp’s family ends here,” Conley said, noting that two previous juries weighing the case had deadlocked in their deliberations and a third never got the evidence because the presiding judge fell ill during the proceedings.

“This jury weighed the evidence, found the facts, and applied the law. For five full days, these ordinary men and women embraced an extraordinary responsibility and reached a just verdict.”

During three and a half weeks of testimony, Chief Trial Counsel Patrick M. Haggan proved that Butler and Wood robbed the surviving victim late on Feb. 12. 2004. After taking his money, they forced him to drive to the home he shared with Tripp in a bid to get more money.

They entered the apartment on the early morning of Feb. 13 and hogtied both the first victim and Tripp, who was present in the apartment. The assailants demanded Tripp’s bank card and password. If they were unable to retrieve money, they said, they would kill both victims.

Evidence showed that Butler stood guard with a handgun over the victims as Wood went to a Codman Square bank machine and withdrew $40 from Tripp’s account before being cut off because of insufficient funds.

When Wood returned to the apartment at about 2:00 a.m., he used a kitchen knife to slash Tripp’s throat, killing her. When the surviving victim managed to untie himself and tried to save Tripp’s life, Butler shot him in the head and arm, causing irreparable damage to his left eye.

The assailants were identified after bank surveillance footage showed Wood and others attempting to obtain money from Tripp’s account.

Butler and Wood were represented by attorneys Larry Tipton and Michael Bourbeau, respectively. Judge Patrick Brady presided over all four trials. The defendants will be sentenced June 19 at 10:00 in courtroom 815.