They were killed at their Darien home back in 2010.
Nodarse murdered the family at the request of his friend Johnny Borizov. Nodarse pleaded guilty but mentally ill.
He testified against Borizov, who was convicted in May of planning the murders.
DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney Bernie Murray told jurors that Borizov used Jacob Nodarse as a "patsy." During the trial, Nodarse testified against his friend, saying Borizov "manipulated" him into carrying out the March 2010 killing of Jeffrey and Lori Kramer, and their son, Michael, 20.
Defense attorneys say they believe a jail house video that shows a conversation between Jacob Nodarse and Johnny Borizov proved too much to overcome.
"We talked to a couple of jurors who said several of them had doubts in the beginning but felt the tape was the most persuasive evidence," said defense attorney Richard Kling.
Borizov's defense argued that Nodarse's testimony is not believable because of Nodarse's drug use and mental illness.
"He was a dope fiend," defense attorney Susana Ortiz said.
During the murder trial, Nodarse said he moved between "reality" and "nightmares" during the murders inside the family's Darien home. Nodarse pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murder of Jeffrey Kramer.
