Sheriff's investigators found Silliman's body on the bathroom floor of an empty mobile home near New Hill in southwestern Wake County on December 3, 2008. According to the medical examiner, the Eagle Scout was drugged and suffocated.
Prosecutors say Hare masterminded Silliman's death - manipulating three other teens implicated in the crime into participating.
The three others are Aadil Shaaid Kahn, 18, Allegra Rose Dahlquist, 19, and Drew Logan Shaw, 18.
Prosecutors say Hare was angry about a relationship between Silliman and Dahlquist that occurred while he and Dahlquist had broken up.
"He was a master manipulator. He wanted this done. He preyed on the weaknesses of others," said Prosecutor Jason Waller in his closing arguments.
The defense tried to argue that Silliman committed suicide - pointing to an earlier suicide attempt and his history of depression and bipolar disorder.
In his closing arguments, defense attorney Robert Padovano also questioned the state's theory that Hare was the mastermind.
He pointed to the fact that the other three teens allegedly involved were all offered plea deals.
"Three of those teens were offered a platform to come in and blame everything on Ryan Hare," said Padovano.
But in the end, the jury sided with prosecutors - finding Hare guilty on all the counts against him, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
The judge moved straight into the sentencing phase of the trial.
Silliman's father, uncle, sister, and mother all spoke. Betty Silliman said: "I cannot explain to you the pain you have brought by your actions."
Silliman's sister Mary talked about how she can't understand why he was killed and said she still suffers fear at night.
Silliman's father told Hare that he forgives him.
After hearing from the family, Hare stood in court and apologized for his role in Silliman's death.
"I'd like to apologize to the Silliman family for my part in all this. I don't believe that the entire truth is known, but most of it has been. For my part in this, I apologize," he said.
Judge Paul Ridgeway sentenced Hare to life in prison.
Of the other three teens implicated in Silliman's murder, Dahlquist has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. She has yet to be sentenced.
Kahn also pleaded guilty to lesser charges, but prosecutors have moved to revoke that deal saying he has stopped cooperating. He did not testify at Hare's trial.
Shaw did testify without a plea deal. He said in court that he feels he didn't take part in a murder because he wasn't present when Silliman died.
Trial dates have not been set for Shaw and Kahn.
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