An Aquashicola man pleaded guilty to third-degree murder charges on Thursday in Carbon County Court in the death of his wife.

Keith Else, 39, admitted to the death of his wife, Laura Else, who died Oct. 5, 2020.

Else faces 9.5 to 40 years in prison when he receives his sentence in March.

Represented by Paul Levy, Carbon County Chief Public Defender, Else only gave yes and no answers in the courtroom.

Levy said that Else was on medication. He said it would not prevent him from making a plea, and makes it easier for him to understand what is going on.

The trooper who filed charges in the case read the full allegations against Else as part of his plea court hearing. Else responded that they were correct when asked by Judge Joseph Matika.

Trooper Nicolas De La Iglesia read the documents filed when Else was arrested for his wife’s death.

Else called 911 to report his wife had been shot. In police interviews following the shooting, he said he believed he had removed the ammunition from the gun, and that it misfired. He had multiple explanations for how it ended up in his hand. Else first said he was giving his wife the gun to sell because of their money problems. He later told police he was trying to hug her after he threatened to kill himself with the gun.

District Attorney Michael Greek said had the case gone to trial, there was evidence that Else was not attempting to hug his wife when he shot her.

After the hearing, Laura Else’s father, Tony Kroboth, said he did not believe the story Keith Else told police, but nothing could change what happened.

Matika set Else’s sentencing for March 5.

He is currently being held without bail in Carbon County Correctional Facility.