HAMILTON COUNTY — A 24-year-old McLeansboro man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Hamilton County court to the 2016 shooting death of 45-year-old James Berkel, previously of Salem.

Zachary Shock pleaded guilty to one count Second Degree Murder. He’ll serve 20 years in Department of Corrections on the charge and 2 years of Mandatory Supervised Release.

Shock also pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 11.5 years on that charge to be consecutively to the 20 year sentence, for a total of 31.5 years in Department of Corrections.

Two counts first degree murder were dismissed per the plea agreement. He’ll be given 660 days credit for time served and pay $3,300 in fines and fees.

Shock admitted in court Tuesday to shooting Berkel with a SKS rifle on September 30, 2016, at Berkels residence in McLeansboro.

Shock was arrested in Fairfield after he fled the scene.

Since his 2016 arrest, Shock has been held in the White County Jail for Hamilton County. However, he escaped earlier this summer with two other inmates. He was on the run for several weeks before being captured and brought back to the jail.

It had been agreed in court early Tuesday that evidence of the escape would be allowed to be presented during the murder trial, as well as a letter from Shock to his girlfriend.

The case had been scheduled for jury selection at 9 a.m. Monday, August 27, but Shock instead entered into the plea agreement.