SALISBURY — Antoine Mills pleaded guilty on Wednesday to first-degree murder in the killing of Aimee Wah, ending a case that had been open since the murder over two years ago.

Mills was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, one of two possible sentencing options for someone found guilty of first-degree murder. The only other possibility was the death sentence. Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook, who presented for the prosecution, said that the plea deal came together due to conversations with the victim’s family, who wished to avoid the pain of a lengthy trial and guarantee the result.

“Closure has been a battle for us. It’s been an uphill battle for us with the trauma of it all, I don’t feel like I can go back to my parent’s house. This won’t bring Aimee back, but I can know that she is resting peacefully now,” said Andrew Wah Jr., Aimee’s brother.

Aimee Wah was killed at approximately 6:30 a.m. on June 2, 2022, at a home on North Salisbury Avenue in Spencer. The findings of fact, agreed to by both the defense and prosecution, confirmed what was previously reported and provided a recounting of the events leading up to and following the murder.

Mills showed up at the house where Wah and her family were living in at approximately 2:30 in the morning, armed with an AR-style rifle, according to camera footage given to investigators. There, he assaulted Aimee while she was in bed before being confronted by Aimee’s family members and leaving.

Four hours later, Mills returned, entered Aimee’s bedroom through a side door and shot her multiple times while she lay in bed with their shared children.

“A man who would shoot the woman that he loves, in bed with her children, does not deserve to live in society,” said Andrew during the sentencing.

After the shooting, Mills fled to Cabarrus County, where he was located and arrested by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office. The rifle, which matched shell casings found in the Wahs’ home, was found in his red Ford Mustang.

While being transported to the jail, Mills told the officers that he believed that Aimee was cheating on him and that he should not have done what he did in front of the children. Aimee’s family said that she told Mills that she was ending the relationship in the weeks leading up to the murder.

“You violently took away a friend, daughter, sister and, most importantly, a mother. You turned the home I grew up in and have many fond memories of into a murder scene,” said Andrew.

Superior Court Judge Michael Adkins, who presided over the case, said the use of the high-powered rifle in the murder was extremely dangerous to the children and could have also ended in their deaths.

“It is fortunate, to the extent that anything can be seen as fortunate in this case, that there are not multiple first-degree murder charges today,” said Adkins.

After sitting through the court case, the family of Aimee, including her siblings, mother and aunts, took some time outside of the Superior Court room to let out their emotion and console each other.

“I’m happy that Aimee got justice. It’s been a long journey, and now he gets to think about what he did everyday of his life. Everyday,” said Madeleine Snipes, Aimee’s older sister.

Two years ago, the members of Aimee’s family sat down with former Salisbury Post editor Elisabeth Strillacci and said that they wanted her death to have meaning.

“I don’t want her to have died in vain. I so hope even just one young person can see themselves in her story and recognize they need to get out, that even one life can be saved. I hope her loss can be a divine intervention for someone else,” said Tiffany Wah, Aimee’s sister-in-law.

The family described her as a person who was always curious and willing to listen to advice, calm, determined and always willing to help out her family.

“She always took accountability for her actions. And though she would give you everything she had and never expect recognition, she did want you to know if she’d taken your advice and that it had worked. She wanted you to be proud of her,” said Alizabeth Wah, Aimee’s sister.

At the time of her death, Aimee was working for Elite 360 Transportation, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, and had been recently promoted from delivery driver to dispatcher. She had also been approved for an apartment of her own and had plans to move out.

“I can’t think of a time I’ve been more proud of her. And she ran the house as well. Now when we’re trying to figure something out, it’s always ‘well Aimee took care of that.’ She was so capable,” said Madeleine.