Former Uber driver Jason Dalton pleaded guilty to six charges of murder on Monday, defying his attorney.
Dalton pleaded guilty to embarking on an hours-long shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Feb. 20, 2016, where he killed six people between picking up rides as an Uber driver. Dalton also pleaded guilty to shooting two other victims, both of whom survived.
During jury selection for the trial, Dalton told the judge, "I've wanted to do this for quite a while."
Dalton's attorney, Eusebio Solis, told the judge that the guilty plea was going against his advice, but that Dalton had reasons for his decision, MLive.com reports.
"He does not want to put his family through that, or the victims' families, through the trial. It's his decision; against my advice," Solis said.
When questioned by the judge, Dalton admitted to shooting and killing Dorothy "Judy" Brown, 74, Mary Lou Nye, 62, Mary Jo Nye, 60, Barbara Hawthorne, 68, Richard Eugene Smith, 53, and Tyler Smith, 17.
Brown, Mary Jo Nye, Mary Lou Nye and Hawthorne were gunned down in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel, while Richard and Tyler Smith were killed at a local car dealership.
Tiana Carruthers and Abigail Kopf were both critically injured, with Kopf shot in the head and thought brain dead by doctors.
Dalton previously said that a "devil figure" led him to shoot the eight strangers and that the figure had sent him messages via the Uber app. Dalton also told police that the devil figure chose the victims for him.
Solis had planned on entering an insanity plea, that defense was dropped last week, MLive.com reports.
Despite the guilty plea, the question remains as to Dalton's motive for the killings, something that may never be answered.
"I don't know whether there will ever be a satisfactory answer as to why he did it ... the 'why' question is one that haunts us," Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said. Getting added that there were over 30 witnesses and over 100 pieces of evidence in the prosecution's case against Dalton, CNN reports.
No sentencing agreement was tied to Dalton's guilty plea, but the six counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and eight felony gun charges mean a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole, the Kalamazoo County prosecuting attorney's office said in a statement.
Dalton will be sentenced on Feb. 5.
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