( CNN ) -- Jenni-Lynn Watson 's shorthand while sending text messages came back to haunt the young man who pleaded guilty Tuesday in Syracuse , New York , to killing the college student , a prosecutor said . Although the 20-year-old victim 's cell phone was never found , investigators were able to review call and text messages made by Watson and Steven Pieper , the man she was breaking up with , Onondaga County District William Fitzpatrick told CNN . After dumping Watson 's body , Pieper , 21 , tried to cover up by texting a mutual friend of theirs , pretending to be Watson , Fitzpatrick said . Using the letters `` GTG '' apparently did him in . Police looked at Pieper 's phone , which was left November 19 , 2010 , at Watson 's home in the Syracuse suburb of Liverpool , and pored over records , Fitzpatrick said . That shorthand for `` got to go '' was a term used by Pieper , not Watson , the prosecutor said . Pieper pleaded guilty in Onondaga County Court to second-degree murder in the strangling of Watson . Rather than 25 years to life , a plea agreement calls for him to receive a sentence of 23 years to life at the March 8 sentencing , Fitzpatrick said , adding Pieper must serve 23 years before he gets a parole hearing . `` Steven made it clear that he did not want to put the Watson family or his family through a trial in this matter , from the very beginning , '' defense attorney Scott Brenneck told CNN affiliate YNN . `` So after a review of the case , it was an appropriate way to resolve it . '' CNN left messages for Brenneck on Tuesday . In late November , a massive search for Watson , a dance major , ended with the discovery of her remains at Clay Central Park in North Syracuse , the Onondaga County Sheriff 's Office said . Watson and Pieper had dated on and off for 18 months and Pieper went over to Watson 's home the morning of Nov. 19 , authorities said . `` I do n't think he went over there with the intent to kill her , '' said Fitzpatrick , adding Pieper was there about two hours . At some point the young woman told Pieper she wanted to have other relationships and he became angry and killed her , the district attorney said . The suspect allegedly placed Watson 's body in her car and drove off , only to be stopped several minutes later because there was no front license plate on his vehicle , Fitzpatrick said . Pieper , who received a warning , decided then to dump the body , he said . `` He did n't have a long-term plan , '' the prosecutor said . `` On that particular day he was consumed with evil and he killed that poor little girl than no other reason than she wanted to move on with her life , '' Fitzpatrick told reporters after the hearing . Pieper initially denied involvement , Fitzpatrick said . The case against Pieper was `` strong '' and Watson 's family supported the plea , he said . Watson was last seen at her family 's home . She was on Thanksgiving break from Mercyhurst College in Erie , Pennsylvania . CNN 's Phil Gast contributed to this report .
Man found guilty to strangling girlfriend who was breaking up with him . Jenni - Jennifer Watson , a college student , had disappeared during Thanksgiving vacation . She was last seen at her family 's home in Liverpool , New York .