In a plea deal Monday, William Scott Morris admitted to murdering his wife, Kelly Morris, in exchange for a sentence that will put him behind bars for at least 13 years.

Granville County District Attorney Sam Currin said Scott Morris pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder and was sentenced to 13 to 16 years.

Currin said there "were a number of reasons" his office decided to offer a plea deal, one reason being consideration for the couple's two young daughters.

"We ran it by the family, and they agreed that it would be in their best interest, and especially the girls'," he said.