As part of his plea deal, 30-year-old Stephen Headley of Southampton will be sentenced to 50 years in prison with no chance of parole until he's over 70. He entered his plea on Tuesday.
Headley had pleaded guilty in June to the murder of 22-year-old Nicole Ayres as part of a deal calling for a 30-year sentence.
But after protests from victims' right advocates and Ayer's family who said it was too lenient, a judge decided not to accept that deal.
The family of the victim, who grew up in Deptford, had sought a life sentence. But they say the 50-year term is an improvement.
