Torrance C. Epps cut a plea bargain with prosecutors in St. Louis, MO, after killing 32-year-old Tiandra Johnson on January 19 in the office at Lafayette Towne, a housing complex for seniors. As a result of the plea agreement, Epps acknowledged his guilt on Monday, CrimeOnline reported. He pleaded to assault, two gun charges, second-degree murder, and two counts of armed criminal action.

Circuit Judge Dennis Schaumann, St. Louis, accepted the plea agreement between the 79-year-old murderer and prosecutors. Epps was sentenced to an 18-year prison term.

Epps is familiar with prison. On December 3, 1973, he fatally shot three of his wife’s relatives with a revolver.

He was given a 30-year sentence for those killings. The victims were Pauline Clark, 44, his wife’s mother and her 72-year-old grandparents, Pauline and Mathew Sherman.

Triple-homicide in 1973, killer blamed in-laws for hiding son and wife

Epps was reportedly looking for his son, along with his wife Linda Clark Epps, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His wife claimed that he battered her, so she left him. He searched for his son and estranged wife for over a week. He believed that his wife’s relatives were hiding her and his son.

After he went to the police station, he demanded that law enforcement help him.

Then, he went to his in-law’s house with a revolver and mortally wounded his wife’s relatives.

Killer paroled 14 years into 30-year sentence, turned fugitive

After serving 14 years of the 30-year sentence, Epps was paroled in September 1988. He went to live in a halfway house, but he escaped one month later. For eight years, the triple-killer was a fugitive, according to KMOV.

Epps was captured when he was ensnared in an undercover crackdown on food stamps, the Post-Dispatch noted. The fugitive-killer reportedly paid $380 to a federal agent in exchange for $615 worth of food stamps. He was sent back to prison and, again, received parole in 2003.

Fourth killing followed reported break-in at murderer’s apartment

Judge Schaumann asked Epps why he killed Johnson. The convicted killer stated that he thought the victim stole a backup key from him and broke into his apartment, the Post-Dispatch reported.

Epps believed that Johnson took his life savings. He told the judge that he was upset. Epps also informed the judge that he takes medications due to four blood clots that resulted after he was hit by a bus.

Days before the shooting Johnson, Epps did report that his apartment unit had been broken into and he reported missing items, police stated. Johnson was discovered deceased at the senior living complex. She was shot in the chest.

Before shooting and killing Johnson, Epps aimed his gun at a different woman who was near her apartment in the senior housing complex.

He, then, rolled his wheelchair to the complex’s rental office and pointed his gun at a second person. Finally, he shot Johnson at approximately 1 PM.

Judge Schaumann asked Epps if someone taking his money is “a reason to shoot” someone, according to the Post-Dispatch. Epps stated that he is “awfully sorry.” When the judge read Epps each charge, the convicted killer replied that he was “Guilty as charged.”