'I killed my brother:' Zachary Witman admits to gruesome 1998 murder; parole now possible

For the first time since 13-year-old Gregory Witman was found nearly decapitated inside his New Freedom home, his brother, Zachary, is admitting guilt.

"Yes, I can say I killed my brother by stabbing," he told a judge.

Zachary on Thursday entered into a plea deal that would have him eligible for parole this time next year. In York County Common Pleas Court, he pleaded guilty to 3rd degree murder in exchange for a sentence of 15 years, 230 days to 40 years. This would make him eligible for a parole hearing -- his first opportunity for freedom -- on Jan. 3, 2019.

Gregory was killed after returning from school on Oct. 2, 1998.

Blood evidence showed that he was attacked inside the front door. His body was found in the laundry room toward the rear of the house.

He had been gruesomely knifed more than 100 times and left nearly decapitated.

Within days, police arrested 15-year-old Zachary for the murder and charged him as an adult.

Ahead of Thursday's court appearance, Witman met with prosecutors and described what happened. In court, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tim Barker recapped that description.

He said Zachary got mad at Greg because Greg was mad at him for hanging up on his girlfriend. Greg wouldn't drop the matter. Zachary grabbed a pair of soccer goalie gloves and a small pen-knife and went downstairs, but Greg followed and kept yelling at him.

Zachary said he intended only to scare his brother with the knife, but stabbed him when they were in the foyer. Greg ran to the back of the house. Zachary followed, and continued stabbing him in the laundry room.

He said he got scared and hid the knife and gloves under a tree in the back yard, then he called 911.

Barker said the prosecution does "not view Mr. Witman as a risk" to the public.

Judge Michael Bortner told Zachary, "Your case has dominated the attention of this community like I've never seen."

After accepting the plea, Bortner said, "I wish you well. I hope you and your family can find some peace."

Watch an interview with Witman's father:

Zachary's father, Ron, attended the hearing. His mother, Sue, did not.

Ron Witman said he could not comment on what transpired inside the courtroom. He did say, however, that the one thing he wants is for the York community to leave him and his family alone.

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He said he did not believe his youngest son's murder and his older son's arrest and guilty plea to that murder was the business of anyone outside the family.

Zachary, then 20, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole -- the only sentence for first-degree murder in Pennsylvania -- in 2003.

Watch, here's a look at how Zachary Witman described the timeline:

Here is how Zachary's life without parole sentence became what basically is a sentence equaling time served plus one year to 40 years in prison.

-- In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional because minors lack the maturity and self-control of adults.

-- Because of that, Zachary had to be resentenced to a constitutional sentence. That is what brought Zachary back to the attention of the local court.

-- In the meantime, Zachary's attorney learned that Zachary's trial attorney had not advised him before the 2003 trial that the prosecution had extended a plea offer. That failure by the attorney was ineffective assistance of counsel and an all-but-guaranteed right to a new trial.

-- In response to the ineffective counsel argument on Thursday, the judge vacated Zachary's 2003 conviction and sentence and advised him of his renewed trial rights.

-- Zachary had the option to be tried again before a jury or judge for his brother's murder. Or, he could plead guilty to a murder charge.

-- The prosecution offered Zachary a prison sentence of just shy of 16 years to 40 years in prison -- with credit for time served -- for a guilty plea to third-degree murder. Zachary, who has served 14 years in prison, accepted that agreement.

Why this hearing happened: Zachary Witman, convicted of killing brother, seeks release, new trial or shorter sentence

All about the Witman case: Zachary Witman murder case: Where things stand in the mysterious case of fratricide

Witman's defense: For years, Zachary Witman insisted he didn't kill brother

Photos from the Witman murder case (story continues below):

The arrangements for the scenario took place last year when Zachary, who is being held in Smithfield State Correctional Institute, was in York County to meet with the district attorney's office.

Witman is among the last of the people who committed murder in York County as a juvenile and received the life without parole sentence. Others in his situation have been resentenced to lesser terms since the Supreme Court ruling.

Witman currently is in York County Prison and will be returned to state prison to continue serving his sentence.

Another juvenile murderer: He killed at 17. Now, he faces life outside prison 42 years after a fatal robbery in York.

Of interest: Meet the 101 York County killers who are serving life without parole

Here's a timeline of the Witman case: