A Bethesda man has been convicted of murder in the death of a Silver Spring man, who was hired to work on secret underground tunnels.

Following a two-week trial, the jury found 27-year-old Daniel Beckwitt guilty of killing 21-year-old Askia Khafra in an explosion back in September 2017.

Prosecutors say Beckwitt hired Khafra to help dig tunnels under his house on Danbury Court. It was noted that Khafra was blindfolded when he was brought in to work under the house. Beckwitt had a secret tunnel under the home when a fire broke out, killing Kharfa, who wasn’t able to escape. The tunnels, which are hundreds of feet below ground, were being built for about four years.

“It was not an intentional killing, but the theory in the case here was the employer has an obligation to the employee and with absolutely total disregard to the safety or welfare of this young man, he engaged in this reckless conduct of building these tunnels,” said John McCarthy, Montgomery County State’s Attorney.

Beckwitt’s sentencing hearing will be in June.