One of four young men accused of randomly killing a young man during a 2010 house party in Douglasville pled guilty Tuesday, avoiding a death penalty trial but guaranteeing himself a life in prison.

Emanuel Boykins, 18, is believed to have been the instigator in the beating death of 18-year old Bobby Tillman. Boykins had originally agreed to plead guilty after District Attorney David McDade threatened him and his three teenaged co-defendants with the death penalty. That was put on hold, though, until he entered his plea in Douglas County Superior Court on Tuesday.

In addition to Boykins, Tracen Franklin, Quantez Devonta Mallory, and Horace Damon Coleman were also charged in the murder. Mallory and Coleman also said they would agree to McDade’s terms. Franklin has so far declined to do so.

Tillman moved to Douglas County from Los Angeles just five months before he was murdered. He asked his mother for permission to attend the party. When one of the defendants was punched by two girls who were fighting at the party, he vowed he wouldn’t hit a girl but would hit the next male who came along. That was Tillman, who was just five-and-a-half feet tall, weighing 125 pounds and wearing braces on his teeth.

Tillman died from a tear to his heart suffered during the beating.