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Georgia man pleads guilty but mentally in killing of 5

Thomas J. Lee, left, weeps in Troup County Superior Court, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, in LaGrange, Ga., after pleading guilty but mentally ill in killing five people in January. Lee, 26, will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole for the deaths of his wife, Christie Lee, her daughter, Bailey Burtron, Lee’s parents, William and Shelia Burtron and family friend Iionna Green. (Tyler H. Jones/The Daily News via AP) Thomas J. Lee, left, weeps in Troup County Superior Court, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015, in LaGrange, Ga., after pleading guilty but mentally ill in killing five people in January. Lee, 26, will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole for the deaths of his wife, Christie Lee, her daughter, Bailey Burtron, Lee’s parents, William and Shelia Burtron and family friend Iionna Green. (Tyler H. Jones/The Daily News via AP)

By Associated Press August 12, 2015 1 min read

LAGRANGE, Ga. (AP) – A judge has sentenced a Georgia man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife, three of her family members and a family friend to spend the rest of his life in prison.

The LaGrange Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/1JdjJ8W ) Thomas J. Lee pleaded guilty but mentally ill after reaching an agreement with prosecutors. The judge sentenced him to serve life without the possibility of parole.

Authorities have said Lee killed his wife and four others on Jan. 28 in a home in Troup County, near the Alabama border and roughly 65 miles southeast of Atlanta.

Lee was arrested several days later at a bus station in Tupelo, Mississippi, after he told a pastor he was having car trouble and needed to get to Opelika, Alabama.

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Information from: LaGrange Daily News, http://www.lagrangenews.com