As Latoya Singleton's family poured out their sorrow in court Thursday, the man who killed her didn't try to stifle his yawns.

"Because of your conduct this mother will never see her daughter's face again," Judge James G. Blanchard Jr. said to Jimmy Lee Jones, 35.

Judge Blanchard sentenced Mr. Jones to life in prison, with 20 years consecutive, for the murder of Ms. Singleton. On April 14, 2007, after a series of violent encounters with his ex-girlfriend, Mr. Jones broke into Ms. Singleton's home, pressed a gun to the back of her head and fired. He left their infant daughter beside Ms. Singleton.

It wasn't the first time Mr. Jones had shot a woman. He served seven years in prison for wounding his common law wife in 1996 in Burke County.

"We believe he is a significant threat to our community," said District Attorney Ashley Wright, who prosecuted the case and asked Judge Blanchard to impose the maximum sentence possible. He did.

The death penalty wasn't an option to pursue against Mr. Jones because none of the state's statutory aggravating factors were present in the case, Ms. Wright said. Before a prosecutor can seek a death sentence, he must prove at least one of the aggravating factors -- such as murder committed for money or during the commission of another felony offense.