Gary Michael Hilton, the man accused for killing hiker Meredith Emerson, pleaded guilty on Thursday. The 61-year-old murdered was sentenced to life in prison for his criminal act.

The charges brought against Hilton were kidnapping with intent to harm and malice murder in the death of Emerson on January 4th.

The dead hiker was 24-year-old and a graduated of University of Georgia. She was last seen on New Year's Day when she left on a hike in the North Georgia Mountains with her dog.

"I feel that no punishment for Mr. Hilton is too great," said her father, David Emerson. "I only pray that he suffers immensely for his heinous acts."

However, Susan, the mother of the young girl said she was not sorry that prosecutors took the death penalty off the table.

"I feel like he should stay alive and slowly rot," she said. "As far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as justice in this case. Nothing will bring our daughter back."

District Attorney Lee Darragh of Dawson County said Emerson’s killing resulted from Hilton’s plan to abduct the woman in order to steal money using her A.T.M. cards. The girl’s corpse was found Jan. 7 in the forest, a 24,000-acre tract north of Dawsonville and east of Dahlonega on Ga. 52 that contains Amicalola Falls State Park.

According to Dr. Kris Sperry, the state's chief medical examiner, the young girl died of blunt force trauma to the head. She was beheaded after her death.

"Anyone's emotional reaction would have appropriately be that this defendant deserved the penalty of death," said Lee Darragh, Hall County District Attorney at a news conference following Hilton's plea.

However, after deliberating, researching and consulting with other prosecutors, he took the decision that a life sentence "in practical terms" is a "death penalty in and of itself."

Hilton would not be eligible for parole until he is 91 years old.