FORT MILL, S.C. – The accused killer of a teen clerk shot to death at a Fort Mill store appeared in court Tuesday.

Previously reported: 

It very emotional day in the courtroom. There was a tissue box passed around by the family of Karson Whitesell, who say this is the first Christmas in 19 years without their “K.”

Defendant Christian Mendez said in court, “I did a horrible act of depriving someone her life.” He pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

The courtroom also heard chilling audio in the defendant's own words from the initial statement he gave Fort Mill police. In that audio recording, he is heard saying, “I feel nothing.”

The state showed surveillance video from the Peach Stand store on January 23 that includes moments after police say the defendant shot Whitesell five times.

Police say the defendant visited a shooting range the day before and purchased a firearm hours before the victim was shot.

The defense says Mendez was suicidal the day of the shooting and that client has a mental illness and was not on medicine the day he admitted to shooting the victim.