WACO (June 22, 2009)--Jay Vincent Hopwood, who was charged in the July 10, 2008 shooting death of Trakemeyon "Trey" Richardson, stood up in court at the beginning of jury selection in his murder trial on Monday and pleaded guilty to the killing.

Hopwood was sentenced to serve 40 years in state prison.

A court official told News 10 Hopwood, along with his attorney, Stan Schweiger, entered the plea at about 10:30 a.m. Monday in District Judge Matt Johnson's 54th State District Court.

Prosecutor Susan Shafer did not contest the plea and Judge Johnson accepted it.

Jury selection had been set to begin at 10 a.m.

Hopwood, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, turned himself in to police last July after his parents convinced him to surrender.

Richardson was 28 when he was killed.

Police found Richardson lying facedown with a gunshot wound to the neck and upper torso.

Richardson, who was paralyzed following the shooting, remained alive in the hospital for eight days.

Before his death, Richardson told investigators he was not the intended target.