A Maryland man has been sentenced in the tragic case involving the murder of his mother following a dispute over her vehicle.

Reginald English, 53, received a life sentence on Friday, with all but 72 years of the sentence suspended. English was found guilty of killing his 72-year-old mother, Lorena Royster, after an argument erupted over the use of her car. According to NBC affiliate WRC in Washington, D.C., prosecutors requested the specific sentence duration to honor the age of the victim.

Court documents from local Fox affiliate WTTG reveal that police were called for a welfare check at Royster’s Bladensburg, Maryland apartment on April 3, 2024, at 11 p.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered Royster with a fatal stab wound to the neck and declared her deceased at the scene. Authorities also observed a handcuff on her wrist.

Earlier that day, approximately 12 hours before Royster was discovered, English was found by police in Cox Creek, about 40 miles from his mother’s residence. He had jumped into the creek and was discovered wearing a woman’s engagement ring, claiming to officers that he was engaged in prayer. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for medical evaluation.

English was charged with murder several days following the incident.

English went on trial in July. According to WRC’s courtroom reporting, prosecutors told the court that English “killed his mother over the use of a Toyota Camry.” He had also reportedly argued with his sister over the title of the car while he was in jail for the murder. English was found guilty on Aug. 7.

Members of Royster’s family spoke to WRC after the sentencing, including her stepdaughter Audrey Lawrence who said, “For me, 72 years is going to forever be etched in his brain. I don’t care where he goes until the day he leaves this earth, and even when he’s in the ground, he’s probably going to remember 72.”

According to court records, English has appealed his conviction.