CBS Los Angeles is reporting that a Costa Mesa man was sentenced to 50 years to life for murdering his girlfriend after he played a Guns N’ Roses song about killing a former lover. It was reported back in October 2016 that Thomas Michael Wilhelm, 53, faced 50 years to life in prison. Jurors had to  decide what his mental state was at the time of the shooting.

Wilhelm was found guilty on November 30th, 2016, of one felony count of first-degree murder.  A  sentencing enhancement was added to the charge for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death. Authorities said that around 6:30 p.m. on July 8, 2012, Wilhelm stole a gun from a neighbor’s house.

The defendant then returned to his own home to kill his former girlfriend and business partner of three years, 45-year-old Christine Murray.

The victim sent text messages to a friend eleven minutes before her murder stating Wilhelm was drinking alcohol, loudly playing and singing along to a Guns N’ Roses song with the lyrics, “I used to love her, but I had to kill her.”

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Unfortunately, the report makes an error in stating the song "Used To Love Her" is about killing a former lover. As many G'N'R fans know, the song was written as a joke, according to Slash, about frontman Axl Rose's dog. 

As reported by Songfacts, "Used To Love Her" played a macabre role in a murder trial when it became evidence in the case against Justin Barber, a Florida man who was accused of killing his wife in 2002. At the trial, a forensic analyst testified that Barber had downloaded the song just hours before the murder (the song was found in the deleted files of Barber's hard drive). The tune was then played for the jury, with the lyrics displayed in the courtroom. Barber was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

"Used To Love Her" is found on Guns N' Roses 1988 EP and on the cover it states clearly that the song is "a joke, nothing more. Actually, it's pretty self explanatory if you ask me!"