If Donnie Gee had gotten a

ride out of town, she and three others might never have been murdered

In court Monday, Issac Jerry

Pearson pled guilty to killing Gee, his girlfriend Barbara Clark and two

of their relatives, 16-year-old Nikki Underwood and 3-year-old Doeyanna

Burton, three days after Christmas in 1999 the most persons murdered in

a single incident in Fayette County's history. He was sentenced to life

in prison without parole by Fayette Superior Court Judge Paschal English.

Maj. Bruce Jordan, taking the

stand in the sentencing phase, said Gee had asked Pearson's niece to give

her and the girls a ride to the bus station. But the niece declined, saying

she didn't want to get involved, he said.

At the murder scene, Pearson

said he was upset with Gee, who he felt was trying to have him kicked

out of the house.

"They were talking about

putting me out after all the hard work I've done," Pearson told the

chief investigator.

Gee had asked a relative for

a ride to the bus station so she and the girls could leave because she

felt "uncomfortable" being around Pearson and Clark, Jordan

said.

Clark was shot while she slept,

but Pearson woke up Gee, 3-year-old Doeyanna Burton and 16-year-old Nikki

Underwood before shooting them, Jordan said.

When Dep. Roger Starkey arrived

first on the scene at 225 Deer Forest Road, he spotted Pearson in the

driveway and asked why his hands were in the air, Jordan said.

"Because you're here to

arrest me," Pearson replied.

The 66-year-old man then confessed

to shooting Clark, who he originally referred to as his wife although

they were never married, Jordan said.

Prosecutors originally planned

to seek the death penalty against Pearson. But District Attorney Bill

McBroom said Pearson wouldn't likely live long enough to be executed since

it can take upwards of 12 years for an execution to occur in death penalty

cases.