Man Who Killed His Pregnant Girlfriend Gets Total of 261 Years in Prison After Being Linked to 3 Other Murders

• Joshua Dotson has been sentenced to a total of 261 years in jail. He was connected to three other murders after killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn baby in June 2020, authorities have said
• Jamesha Covson, 19, was several months pregnant when she was fatally shot, the U.S. Marshals Service previously confirmed
• The suspect has also pleaded guilty to murder charges following the deaths of Divieon Parker, Renita Bennett and Reginald Anderson, per a Shelby County District Attorney’s Office news release

A self-proclaimed “serial killer” in Tennessee who murdered his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn baby has been sentenced to a total of 261 years in prison after being connected to three other deaths.

Joshua Dotson received a 159 year prison sentence on Feb. 14 after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, the Shelby County District Attorney’s office said in a news release.

Dotson had previously been convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Jamesha Covson, and her unborn child, netting 102 years in prison. Parker was shot and killed at her Memphis home in June 2020, after Dotson reportedly became irate about a Facebook post and her pregnancy, the local DA’s office said.

In Friday’s post, the DA’s Office said that Dotson had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the death of Divieon Parker, two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Renita Bennett and Reginald Anderson, and three counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

He was arrested six days after the shooting, per ABC 24.

Dotson testified in his own defense at trial, referring to himself as a “serial killer” and even comparing himself to Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise, the DA’s office said in a release.

In court, he called his ex a “sex worker” and said he killed her because she was aware of his previous murders, the DA’s office said.

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“The court’s decision affirms that those who commit acts of violence with such disregard for human life will be held accountable. Our hearts are with the family and friends of Jamesha Covson, and we hope this sentence brings them some peace as they continue to grieve this profound loss,” the DA’s office said in a release upon Dotson’s conviction.

The Shelby County DA’s Office didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.