UPDATE FRIDAY 2/15/13 4:30 P.M. APPOMATTOX, Va. (AP) -- Virginia man who pleaded guilty to killing 8 at his Appomattox home sentenced to 5 life terms.

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APPOMATTOX, Va. (AP) -- A Virginia man charged with killing eight people at his Appomattox home and shooting down a state police helicopter three years ago has pleaded guilty.

Christopher Speight entered his plea Friday in Appomattox County Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty to three counts of capital murder, one count of attempted capital murder of a police officer and five firearms counts.

The 42-year-old former security guard was arrested in January 2010 after an overnight manhunt near the home he shared with his sister, her husband and their two children. Those family members, two neighbors, their teenage daughter and a teenage boy were killed in the shootings.

The victims' families planned to address the court after Speight entered his plea.

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