CLEVELAND, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama man has been sentenced to 99 years in prison for the 2017 slaying of his on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Al.com reports 28-year-old Patrick Dorsett pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder for the shooting death of 23-year-old Bethany Evans. Evans was found suffering multiple gunshots wounds in February 2017 at Dorsett’s home in Cleveland. Dorsett, who has served in the U.S. Air Force, was arrested hours later.

Court records don’t show Dorsett has any prior arrests. Evans’ father, Pleasant Grove Police Officer Tim Evans, says the family approves of Dorsett’s plea deal. He says his family felt it was best to accept the deal “so as not to endure the additional pain of a trial.”

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Information from: The Birmingham News, http://www.al.com/birminghamnews