A man who fatally stabbed his Kenyan girlfriend, Jane Kariuki, last year while both were riding in a car on Interstate 5 in Seattle was sentenced this morning to 29 years in prison. Christel David Murphy, 43, pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder in the October 2008 slaying of his longtime girlfriend, Jane Kariuki, 42.

The two were riding in a car driven by another man on Oct. 16, 2008. Ms Kariuki was seated in the front passenger seat and Murphy was in the back seat. Ms Kariuki died after Murphy reached forward, put her in a neck hold and stabbed her 31 times, cutting her neck, face and chest, according to (Seattle) court documents.

The driver of the car pulled over and called 911 while Murphy got out of the vehicle, threw the knife on the ground, lit a cigarette and calmly sat down on the guardrail to wait for police, according to court documents.

Murphy and Ms Kariuki had a troubled relationship. Murphy pled guilty to fourth-degree assault against Ms Kariuki in July 2007. He was also charged with third degree-assault and harassment for a March 2006 incident after he hit Ms Karuiki in the head, threatened to kill her with a knife and cut her hand with a glass shard. Murphy was sentenced to 60 days in jail three years ago that third-degree domestic-violence  against Ms Kariuki when he cut her with broken glass and threatened to kill her with knives.

Seattle police said Ms Kariuki had told Murphy earlier to move out of the Kent residence they shared. Murphy has a criminal history that includes a conviction for manslaughter in North Carolina and several convictions for assault and domestic-violence assault in Washington, according to court records.

At least two no-contact orders had been issued in an attempt to protect Ms Kariuki from Murphy; but in 2007 Kariuki successfully petitioned the court to lift the order of protection issued earlier.