A Twin Cities man was sentenced Tuesday to 34 ½ years in prison for killing a St. Paul woman last year.

Sammy D. Henderson, 25, who has no known address, pleaded guilty in May in Ramsey County District Court to second-degree murder with intent. He originally also faced a charge of first-degree murder while committing criminal sexual conduct in the death of Sherell Montrese Craighead, 30.

According to the complaint: Henderson told police that he had a casual relationship with Craighead, and that he raped her on Aug. 31. He told police that he ignored her pleas to stop, and that he grabbed her neck at one point.

Craighead's son was home at the time, and left the apartment he shared with his mother on the morning of Sept. 1. He walked to his grandmother's house and went to sleep. He later told his grandmother that his mother "was sleeping naked on the floor and bleeding from her back."

The grandmother and boy returned to Craighead's apartment, where they found her body.

The Ramsey County medical examiner's office ruled her death a homicide caused by asphyxia due to manual strangulation.

CHAO XIONG