Tammy Horton said she plans to visit her sister’s grave in Virginia this week to tell her the man charged with her murder pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court.

During a plea hearing, Freddie L. Ebey, 37, of Alexandria, La., told Circuit Court Judge Forrest &uot;Al&uot; Johnson he murdered Terry Carter, 37, Keithville, La., the weekend of Jan. 8 at the Lady Luck Hotel in Natchez.

Evidence showed Ebey choked Carter and the choking resulted in her death, said Adams County District Attorney Ronnie Harper.

&uot;I’m glad it’s over,&uot; Horton said by phone from Troutville, Va., Thursday, adding she would like to see Ebey serve more time. &uot;If he ever got out he’d do it again.&uot;

Since state law requires defendants convicted of murder to be sentenced to life in prison, Ebey will not be eligible for release until he is 65.

The district attorney’s office agreed to the plea on the basis of that law and to avoid the chance of a jury’s convicting Ebey of the lesser charge of manslaughter, Harper said.

&uot;After consulting with the family, they were in favor of this and (we) felt like it was the best thing to do,&uot; Harper said.

If the case had gone to trial as scheduled next week, Ebey may have been required to serve more time. The district attorney’s office filed a motion asking Johnson to treat Ebey’s trial as a habitual offender case.

If Johnson had granted this motion and a jury had convicted Ebey of murder, he would have been required to serve his entire life in prison without any possibility of early release.

Ebey could have been considered a habitual offender because he has at least two prior felony convictions, including one for manslaughter.

Prosecutors believe Ebey murdered Carter at the Lady Luck Hotel – now the Isle of Capri Hotel – while the two were passing through town. The couple, described as boyfriend and girlfriend, stopped in Natchez after helping their employer, Bonnette Auction Company of Alexandria, with an auction in McGee. Harper said Ebey and Carter got into an argument after stopping in Natchez and visiting the Lady Luck Casino. Police found Carter’s body Jan. 8 in her hotel bed with injuries to her head and face.

Ebey had fled the scene in a pickup truck belonging to his employers and was arrested a few hours later in Wilkinson County.

Horton said she and several family members planned to drive to Natchez for Ebey’s trial if it had taken place next week.

&uot;I think it would let him know she had family that loved her,&uot; Horton said. &uot;And if it was a million miles, I would drive it for her.&uot;