BARRON, Wis. – Jake Patterson pleaded guilty Wednesday to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and murdering her parents, a move that spares the teenager and her family from enduring a trial.

Patterson, 21, appeared in Barron County Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon to be arraigned on first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping and armed burglary charges. He is being held in the Polk County Jail on a $5 million cash bond.

In court, Patterson repeatedly answered "yes" to a range of questions from Judge James Babler about whether he understood the charges, and whether he was certain he wanted to plead guilty. He hung his head at times as he spoke.

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Patterson entered his three pleas one at a time, growing more emotional with each utterance of the word "guilty." He hesitated for several seconds, sniffled and his voice broke, as he admitted to kidnapping Jayme.

Jayme's family filled four rows in the courtroom and could be seen comforting one another at times. Two of Patterson's relatives also attended, one of whom cried throughout the hearing.

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The hearing adjourned after about 18 minutes. As Patterson left the courtroom, he said, "Bye, Jayme," although she did not appear to be in the courthouse Wednesday.

Babler set sentencing for the afternoon of May 24, and revoked Patterson's bond.

Officials declined to comment following the hearing. Jayme's family was quickly ushered out of the courtroom, and Patterson's family left the building without speaking to reporters.

'It's what he wanted to do'

Patterson faces up to life in prison for each of the homicide charges and up to 40 years in prison for the kidnapping charge.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop the armed burglary charge, and to not charge Patterson with any crimes related to the time he kept Jayme in captivity at a home in Douglas County.

Richard Jones, one of Patterson's attorneys, said Patterson wanted to plead guilty from the first day he met with his lawyers.

"We’ve talked to Jake about options … and he’s rejected all of that and decided that this is what he’s wanted to do," he said.

Patterson, who had no known connection to the Closs family and no criminal record, gunned down James and Denise Closs on Oct. 15 and abducted their only child. The incident rattled the quiet, close-knit western Wisconsin town of Barron, prompting community-wide searches and calls to find the teenager.

Patterson held Jayme in a house his family owned in the rural Douglas County town of Gordon for 88 days. During her captivity, Patterson and Jayme told police, he forced her to hide under a twin bed when he had company or left the house. He also threatened and yelled at her.

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He told police he began planning Jayme's abduction after he saw her board a school bus, according to his statement to police. He visited the Closs home twice before the kidnapping and murders, and shaved his head and face to avoid leaving DNA behind. He also made modifications to his car, including replacing his plates with a stolen one.

Jayme escaped on Jan. 10 and was rescued by Patterson's neighbors. Patterson was apprehended by police a short time later.

The decision not to charge Patterson in Douglas County means some details of Jayme's time in captivity might never be released.

Jayme is now living with her aunt and guardian, Jennifer Smith. Photos shared on social media since she her return have shown her smiling with her dog and eating a steak with her grandfather. A GoFundMe page for Jayme and her family raised over $50,000, and the Barron community is planning a celebration and benefit in May.

The killings and kidnapping stunned people who had known Patterson when he was a student at tiny Northwood High School in Minong, about 55 miles north of Barron. The mother of one of his high school friends said Patterson had been a quiet boy who enjoyed playing board games and reading Tom Clancy-type spy thrillers.

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Fellow students this winter described him as a quiet teen who sometimes flashed a sense of humor in classes, but who avoided most school functions and occasionally flew off the handle at a minor slight. He also appeared to have trouble with commitment. He never held a job for more than a few days, and was thrown out of Marine Corps basic training in his fifth week.

In a letter to a reporter from Minneapolis-based KARE-TV, which the NBC affiliate published this month, Patterson said he would plead guilty to spare Jayme and her family from a trial. He expressed regret, saying he "can't believe I did this."

"No one will believe or can even imagine how sorry I am for hurting Jayme this much," he wrote.

Jake Patterson's letter:Jayme Closs' alleged kidnapper writes he’ll plead guilty, said motive is 'complicated'

Follow Haley BeMiller and Dough Schenider on Twitter: @haleybemiller and @PGDougSchneider