A Georgia man who pleaded guilty to shooting his wife in the head as she slept will spend more than a decade in prison.

On the morning of September 7, 2022, 77-year-old James Wilson III contacted 911 to confess to the shooting, admitting to the McDuffie County Sheriff that he had killed his wife. A few days following Wilson’s arrest for the murder of his 75-year-old wife, Virginia “Sue” Wilson, Sheriff Logan Marshall, who was among the first to reach the scene, shared during a press conference that he and his deputies encountered James Wilson lying in front of his home, a gun held against his chest.

Assistant District Attorney Terry Lloyd recounted Thursday’s court confrontation, describing how James Wilson reportedly confessed to Marshall, saying, “I done made a mess, I killed her.”

Marshall mentioned that James Wilson informed him that “his wife was in the house.” At the scene, Marshall contacted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to take over the case. Pat Morgan, the GBI Special Agent in Charge, noted that although there was a brief standoff, they managed to “peaceably” apprehend James Wilson without incident.

James Wilson, who never provided a motive for killing his wife, was charged with murder and possession of a firearm while committing a felony.

During the court proceedings, defense attorney Grant Usry advocated for leniency, appealing to Judge Chip Hardin by highlighting Wilson’s age and current health status, stating, “He is 77 years old. While in decent health, he is weak and struggles with managing his diet and understanding what’s happening with his own body.”

Judge Hardin agreed to the plea deal on Thursday, sentencing James Wilson to 15 years in prison without parole, to be followed by a 20-year probation period.