Colin Abbott this morning was sentenced to spend 35 to 80 years in state prison after pleaded no contest to two counts of murder — nearly two years after being charged with killing his father and stepmother.

The 42-year-old New Jersey man was sentenced by Butler County Judge William Shaffer, who heard Abbott’s plea agreement on Tuesday.

In exchange for the plea deal, the county district attorney’s office agreed to drop its intent to seek convictions of first degree murder and a death sentence.

Instead, prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of 35 to 80 years, which the judge approved today.

Prosecutors long asserted that on June 6 or June 7, 2011, Abbott shot Kenneth Abbott, 65, and Celeste Abbott, 55, then burned and scattered their remains around their 25-acre estate in Brady Township.

Jury selection in Abbott’s trial was to begin Monday, and his trial was to have started March 18.