An Aiken County man is behind bars for his mother's death.

Craig Baldwin pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in court Wednesday.

His 83-year-old mother, Dale Baldwin, was found dead on her front lawn two years ago.

Things came to a sudden halt in the courtroom this morning as Baldwin and his lawyers stood before Judge Jack Early.

Baldwin had signed a plea agreement stating he was to serve a 30-year sentence but he told the judge he wanted 15 years.

"I wanted it to be over and my mother to be at peace and you know…he's guilty," said her daughter Delia Sadler.

Neighbors found his mother's body outside her house, here on York Street a week after she had been killed.

When her body was found, investigators say her son Craig was in Kentucky-- walking his daughter down the aisle. With him was a baseball bat, linking him to the crime.

"It had the victim’s blood on it and it was found in Lexington where Mr. Baldwin parked his car," said Aiken County Solicitor, Barbara Morgan.

But that wasn't the only thing linking him to the crime. Authorities say he helped pay for his daughter's wedding with embezzled money he stole from his mother's bank account before she died.

Investigators arrested Baldwin days later at this hotel in Asheville, North Carolina.

After pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in an Aiken County courtroom, Baldwin said he was confused about his sentence.

"He didn't want to come to grips with it. He had signed the sentence sheet that said 30 years and negotiated jail time. He had worked a plea term with his lawyers," said Morgan

After a 20 minute recess where Baldwin spoke in private with his lawyers and family he entered the courtroom and accepted his plea.

"I'm very glad it's over and my family can finally be at peace," said Sadler.

NBC Augusta spoke with Baldwin's attorney, I.S. Levey Johnson.

He says all parties agreed that it was in the best interest of Baldwin to enter the plea--guilty. He says this was due to strong evidence against Baldwin.

Baldwin is sentenced to 30 years however he could be released after 25 years.