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ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend and shooting at police.

Samuel Bailey, 74, admitted to breaking into Gail Keys’ house and opening fire while she stood on her front porch with police officers at around 11:30 p.m. July 4, 2021, according to a news release from the St. Louis courts.

Earlier that night, Keys, 63, had called 911 to report that Bailey had broken into her basement in the 5400 block of Ruskin Avenue, a couple blocks west of Bellefontaine Cemetery.

He eventually left, prosecutors said at a hearing last week.

Keys returned to the house at around 11:30 p.m. with police so that officers could help her back into the home.

But Bailey had broken into the house again, prosecutors said. When Keys opened the door, Bailey opened fire, killing Keys, prosecutors said.

Police surrounded the house and arrested Bailey as he tried to leave out the back. They found a seven-shot revolver on the gangway where he was arrested.

Bailey was supposed to face trial this week. Instead, he reached a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to second-degree murder, three counts of assault, burglary and unlawful gun possession.

In exchange, prosecutors recommended a 20-year sentence and dismissed six counts of armed criminal action and two counts of first-degree assault.

“A person’s home should be their refuge,� St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore said in a news release. “There is no true justice when a life is taken, but we hope today’s sentence provides a measure of justice to Ms. Keys’ surviving loved ones.�

In 2018, police said Bailey stabbed his neighbor after the neighbor asked Bailey to turn down his loud music. It was 4 a.m., and the neighbor’s mother was suffering from terminal cancer, charges said.

Bailey pleaded guilty in November 2018 to a misdemeanor in that case.