LOWNDES COUNTY, GA (WALB) -
A tragic Thanksgiving Day two years ago left a Quitman mother dead and her boyfriend charged with murdering her.
Today, Fred Gee was sentenced to life in prison for that deadly shooting.
Fred Gee's family gathers outside the Lowndes county courthouse as they lean on each other knowing he may never leave his prison cell. Gee's brother-in-law says the family didn't expect a life in prison sentence.
"No I didn't, but it is what it is and like I say we're just going to have to pray and give it to God," said Rockie Hadley, Gee's brother-in-law.
Gee killed his girlfriend Julie Samuel in November 2010. The two had been dating off and on for several years but friends say they had a violent relationship.
According to the DA, Samuel kicked Gee out of the home, he came back Thanksgiving day and after an argument broke out, he shot her eight times.
District Attorney prosecutor Brad Shealy says Gee's defense team tried to argue heat of passion.
"That's what the defense tried to argue that it was a heat of the moment kind of voluntary manslaughter, but my position was that he walked into the house with the gun, he had the gun with him so it was assumed to me that there was something a little more on his mind than the argument," said Shealy.
Samuel's friend says the day she was murdered is a day the community will never forget.
"The worst day that 904 Hill Street history had ever had, the worst day, and of all, on Thanksgiving," said Mary Denson.
Hadley says Gee's anger in that moment got the best of him.
"I'm saying that Fred was not that type of person, that's what I'm saying," said Hadley.
Gee was also sentenced to five years for firearm possession. Samuel left behind two teenage daughters.
Gee could be eligible for parole in 31 years.
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