Joseph Kerekes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was immediately sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole. He admitted he knew about and helped murder Cobra Video owner Bryan Kocis in 2007, various news outlets are reporting.

This rather sudden twist comes as somewhat of a shock after what seemed like an endless stream of trial delays and hold ups. Kerekes is avoiding the death penalty by pleading guilty; Harlow Cuadra could still face death if he faces trial and is found guilty of first-degree murder.

(I'll be adding to this post as more details emerge...)