A man who pleaded guilty to murdering his pregnant girlfriend will find out his sentence Monday afternoon.
James Zell, Jr., 24, of Berkeley Springs strangled Kelly Butler, 29, of Morgan County back in December of 2011. She was pregnant at the time of her death. Her body was found in a remote cabin in Hampshire County in December 2011.
Zell pleaded guilty to two counts of second degree murder and one count of concealment of a deceased human body just three days before he was set to go on trial earlier this year.
According to the plea agreement, the prosecutor will recommend Zell spend no more 40 years behind bars for the first count of second degree murder and no more than 20 years for second count. However, the judge is not bound to that sentencing timeline.