Jake Patterson is sentenced Friday in Barron, Wisc. for the kidnapping of Jayme Closs and shooting deaths of her parents.
A Barron County judge is expected to give the 21-year-old a life sentence.
Patterson on March 27 surprisingly pleaded guilty to the deaths and kidnapping, avoding a trial that threatened to further the torment the community has endured since the Oct. 15, 2018 murders and abduction.
On that day, Patterson, who had targeted the 13-year-old girl after watching her board a school bus, broke into the Closs home on the east side of Barron, shooting James and Denise Closs and taking the girl captive.
88 days later, Jayme managed to escape from the northern Wisconsin cabin where she was held against her will.
Patterson was arrested not long after Jayme turned up.
There will be victim impact statements during the Friday sentencing hearing, and defense attorneys may try to reduce Patterson's sentence.
It's also possible that Patterson will also speak during the hearing.
The day the guilty plea was entered, Patterson spoke in short responses, his voice cracking with emotion while he held back tears.
As he was leaving the courtroom, Patterson turned toward the girl's family and all but shouted "Bye, Jayme."
Many in Barron were relieved with the guilty plea, putting an end to the order and avoiding a long, drawn-out trial.