An Arkansas man will spend the rest of his life – and then some – behind bars for murdering his ex-girlfriend in an ambush with a massive hail of bullets after sending a series of chilling text messages.

On Thursday, Ashton Wardlow, 27, was convicted by a jury of his peers in Crittenden County on one count of murder in the first degree and 17 counts of terroristic acts, according to the prosecuting attorney's office. Each of those counts also contained a firearm enhancement.

In short order, 2nd Judicial Division Circuit Judge Dan Ritchey, following a recommendation provided by the jury, sentenced the killer to four consecutive life sentences. Those life sentences will, at least in theory, then be followed by an additional 830 years in state prison.

The sentence was meted out to the mult

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