Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, but a Burlington County Superior Court judge returned a sentence of 50 years Friday for a man convicted of fatally stabbing the mother of one of his children.

Rashon A. Causey, 40, must serve more than 42 years before becoming eligible for parole. He killed Shanai Marshall, 37, in her Monroe Street home in Burlington City in 2016 after forcing his way inside. Causey had a violent crime history of more than 92 arrests and 11 felony convictions before the murder, authorities said.

"Given this defendant's enormous criminal history, and the violent way in which he killed the mother of his child, it is hard to imagine a defendant more deserving of the life sentence the state sought here," Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said. "However, the court's sentence of 50 years makes it likely that he will never experience freedom again, and that will hopefully afford some degree of comfort to Shanai's loved ones."

More than 20 family and friends of the victim were in the courtroom in Mount Holly on Friday at the sentencing, including two who addressed the court about the magnitude of their loss.

"She was done with the guy... You could see the glow in her," Nicole Vieira, 42, of Lumberton, said shortly after the killing. "She was serious, and he knew it."

Loved ones described Marshall as an energetic, candid woman who meant what she said and had unlimited love for her friends and family. Nicknamed Doobie, she never took any grief from anyone and stood up fiercely for others, especially her family, a cousin said.

Staff writer Rebecca Everett contributed to this report.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook.