A former Jefferson Township man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his friends' mother with a dumbbell in 2008.

loading...

Twenty-three-year-old Demetrius Diaz-Bridges was sentenced Friday in Superior Court for the killing of Elizabeth O'Brien.

The case went to the New Jersey Supreme Court over whether Diaz-Bridges' 2008 confession to investigators was admissible.

A judge initially ruled it was inadmissible because Diaz-Bridges had asked to speak to his mother during questioning, and detectives should have known that meant he wanted to assert his right to remain silent.

But an appeals court later allowed part of the statement, and the Supreme Court ruled earlier this year his entire confession was admissible.

Diaz-Bridges pleaded guilty in May.

At Friday's sentencing, Diaz-Bridges apologized to family members.

 

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM