A man has avoided a possible death sentence by admitting that he killed a teenager in Mississippi before stealing his car and leading police on a chase that ended in a shootout in New Mexico.

WLOX-TV reports 27-year-old D’Juan Holloway pleaded guilty to murder Friday in exchange for life in prison without parole.

Authorities say Holloway killed 19-year-old Ray Howze in Gulfport and then drove across the country in Howze’s car in January 2015.

An officer spotted the car in New Mexico and tried to pull Holloway over. At the end of a chase, officers shot Holloway several times before taking him in to custody.

New Mexico authorities determined Holloway was incompetent to stand trial and dropped their charges.

Authorities in Mississippi determined he was competent to stand trial in Gulfport.