A Pennsylvania man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the murder of his girlfriend and her unborn child, a judge determined.

On July 1, Dakota Greeley, 23, pleaded guilty to one count each of murder in the first degree and murder of unborn child. That plea deal, however, does not appear to have resulted in a judicial reprieve.

On July 18, the defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas President Judge John H. Foradora.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors in Jefferson County dropped several other charges, including, criminal homicide, criminal homicide of an unborn child, murder of an unborn child in the third degree, terroristic threats with intent to terrorize, and abuse of a corpse.

Pennsylvania is one of only three jurisdictions in the entire country which still has the crime of third-degree murder on the books.

In November 2023, Greeley took the life of his then-pregnant girlfriend, Trisha Renee Cole, 25, by shooting her in the head with a 30/30 long rifle and then running her body over with his pickup truck.

In the days leading up to the brutal crime, Greeley learned Cole was pregnant and made several negative comments about the situation.

One witness told investigators Greeley expressed a desire to “kick and beat the child out of the victim.” In another prescient flash of rage, the defendant allegedly claimed the pregnancy “ruined his life.”

In late October 2023, Cole had a check-up at the hospital. After the doctor”s visit, Greeley allegedly said, “Can we kill it now.”

Cole died on Nov. 9, 2023 – but her body lay hidden for over a month as her killer allegedly plotted to escape formal justice.

Greeley was arrested in December 2023 – after a family member called law enforcement to warn that he was attempting to provoke a law enforcement response that would claim his own life.

The defendant was said to be “suicidal and wanted to commit suicide by cop,” his grandmother told police, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Explore Jefferson, a local news website.

On the day of his arrest, the since-condemned man did, in fact, fire two rounds from his gun. Police officers returned fire – but Greeley was able to escape in his Ford truck – briefly – before crashing into a nearby wooded area. He was arrested soon after fleeing on foot.

The defendant allegedly threatened the lives of emergency medical responders who attempted to treat him at the scene.

Later, during interviews with investigators, Greeley freely admitted to Cole’s murder, according to law enforcement.

“I f–ing shot her,” the killer said.

When asked about the location of the murder weapon, the defendant is said to have laughed as he replied: “It was in my hand.”

Roughly two hours after Greeley was in custody, investigators found the deceased woman’s remains near Coyote Drive in Corsica – roughly 76 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The victim had tire tracks on her body and doctors later determined she was carrying a “viable fetus.”

Cole’s obituary remembers her fondly:

Trisha had a kind soul and a huge heart for people and animals. She was protective of anyone she considered friends and was always supportive of the underdog in any situation. She was forgiving and could be counted on if you ever needed her to be there for you.

Her favorite place in the world was the Edgewood Family Fun Center skating rink. The owner, Joe Pearce, was like a second father to her. He went out of his way to help her with anything she needed.

Trisha looked forward to the birth of her unborn baby and had begun searching for names for the dear little one that was yet to be.