On the day his trial was supposed to begin, Kirk Keeping has pleaded guilty to murdering Chantel John.

Keeping had been charged with first-degree murder, but on Monday in Grand Falls-Windsor, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. Keeping’s trial had been delayed several times over the last five years as he applied for public funding for a lawyer of his choice.

Jury selection was supposed to happen Monday, but prospective jurors were dismissed when the Crown and defence entered an agreed statement of facts. Keeping also pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and breaches of probation. He will be back in court in June.