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According to the criminal complaint, Fleming called 911 to report he had been in a physical altercation with his fiancée and stabbed her in the neck. A police detective at the scene found two stab wounds on the right side of Bradford’s neck.

The initial investigation showed Bradford and Fleming were living together and had a five-month-old child together, according to the complaint.

Conflicting accounts

Fleming shared his version of events in court Tuesday, saying that Bradford came at him with the knife initially.

Ann Bostic, Bradford’s aunt, contended Fleming’s testimony was false, saying her niece actually came to live with her in Cross Lanes about a month before the murder because Bradford was so scared of Fleming and previous threats from him.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kenneth Bannon said Fleming had a history of domestic violence.

“She was so afraid of being in that house because he had threatened her with a knife in the past and she would have never stepped foot willingly into that house,� Bostic said. “I don’t think she willingly went with him.�

A loving mother

Bostic described Bradford as vibrant, happy, joyful and loving. Bradford and her sister were pregnant at the same time and hoped to raise their children together.

“She loved everybody and she would have never hurt a soul,� Bostic said.

Fleming is facing three to 15 years and will be sentenced on June 4.

Reasons for plea

Bradford’s family wanted Fleming’s potential sentence to be higher, Bostic said. But they were advised to accept the plea agreement to avoid the trial process. She said that proof would have been difficult with no other adult in the house.

Bannon said that voluntary manslaughter is a wrongful killing with intent, but without malice or premeditation. These two factors are the characteristics of second- and first-degree murder, respectively.

The case took almost three years for many reasons, including the complexity of the case and the fact that it was a domestic violence case.

Bannon said trial is “high-stakes gambling.�

“The possibility of an offender walking away is usually more than enough for a family to say we would rather have a modicum of justice than risk having not justice at all,� he said.