Travis Gast admitted killing Miranda French last May in Brown County Common Pleas Court on April 6.
Gast, 28, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
In exchange for the guilty plea, the Brown County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dropped an Aggravated Murder charge and a weapons charge.
Prosecuting Attorney Zac Corbin said that how long a sentence that Gast will ultimately serve is up to the state parole board once he serves 15 year minimum.
“We are glad that we can put this case to rest for the sake of the family of Miranda French,” said Corbin.
During the hearing, Corbin said that an autopsy determined that the 29 year old French died as a result of blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
Gast was arrested on May 5 of last year in Mason County Kentucky. He was found driving with the body of French in the back seat of the car.
Following a joint investigation between the Mason County Kentucky and Brown County Ohio Sheriff’s Offices, it was determined that Gast killed French on Eagle Creek Road in Brown County.
According to information on the Facebook pages of Gast and Carpenter, the couple was engaged at the time of the murder.
During the sentencing, Gast was offered the opportunity to speak by Common Pleas Judge Scott Gusweiler.
Gast rose to do so, pulling a note out of his pocket, presumably to speak from. He looked at the note for a moment, then appeared to change his mind about speaking in open court.
He handed the note to his attorney Mike Kelly and said “Just give them this.”
Kelly handed the note to Corbin, who provided a copy to The News Democrat.
The note read “I can’t express how sorry I am for whats happened, she was a special girl. I wish I could take your pain. Its my fault she is dead and I’d trade my life for hers if God would let me. Not everything can be rationalized or explained in a courtroom, nor, are things always as they appear. I loved her too, and I still do. I miss her so much and punish myself everyday. I take comfort in two things: She is with the lord now, and she knows the truth. One day you can ask him yourself he will not lie.
Gast will be eligible for his first parole hearing in 2036.