Man Who Drowned Ex-Girlfriend in Toilet in Fit of Jealous Rage Gets Life in Prison

Robert Holton was convicted of murdering Kayla Gloster, 22, when he learned she had been spending time with another man, say prosecutors

A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of stabbing, beating and drowning his ex-girlfriend in a toilet bowl in a fit of jealous rage, prosecutors said.

On Thursday, Robert Holton was sentenced to life in prison for the November 2013 murder of Kayla Gloster, 22, of Homestead, NBC Miami reports.

He was spared the death penalty by jurors, the Miami Herald reports.

The sentence came down after Holton was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree arson for stabbing Gloster and then drowning her because another man was interested in spending time with her, prosecutors said, WFLA reports.

On the day Gloster was killed, Holton had gone to her apartment where he and Gloster had sex, prosecutors said in court, the Herald reports.

After he learned she had spent time with another man, “He beat her,” Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney Scott Warfman said, the Herald reports. “He stabbed her. He strangled her, and he drowned her.”

He also set fire to her mattress, authorities said.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

“He’d been rejected for years by the object of his affection and obsession,” he said.

He was found guilty in a third trial after two mistrials, the Herald reports.

Tony Moss, one of Holton’s attorneys, said he was glad the jury spared his client’s life.

“There was much more to Robert Holton and his worthiness to life than his actions on that particular occasion,” Moss said, NBC Miami reports. “Obviously the jury agreed with us and we are very happy about that.”

“Justice was served,” Gloster’s mother, Tangela Johnson, said, NBC Miami reports. “Today was a win. I really didn’t have a preference of what it was either life or death. I’m satisfied the big victory was guilty.”

Gloster’s grandmother, Caron Dixon, was glad Holton is heading to prison. “He has to suffer just like my baby suffered,” she told NBC Miami. “He’s got to suffer.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.