CANTON, Ga. — A man accused of killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage businesses was pleaded guilty in Cherokee County on Tuesday, hoping for a sentence of life without parole to the first four of the shooting deaths.

Robert Aaron Long faces still faces the death penalty if convicted in four more shooting deaths in Atlanta, where he faces charges of domestic terrorism with a hate crime enhancement in addition to murder. Long is white and six of the victims were women of Asian descent.

A judge was hearing a prosecutor describe details of his crimes. The prosecutor said the 22-year-old defendant has signed a plea deal admitting to all of the charges in Cherokee County, where he was accused of malice murder, felony murder, attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault.