Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering 2 Chinese Students in Los Angeles

FILE - An April 13, 2012, file combo made from undated file photos released by the Los Angeles Police Department shows shooting victims Ming Qu, left, and Ying Wu.

A suspect in the 2012 murders of two Chinese graduate students in Los Angeles pleaded guilty Wednesday and will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Bryan Barnes admitted shooting to death Ying Wu and Ming Qu during a robbery as the two sat in a car near the University of California.

By pleading guilty, Barnes avoids the death penalty. But he will serve two consecutive life terms with no chance of parole.

Through interpreters, the fathers of the two victims told the court that the killings have devastated their families. They said Ying and Ming died for no reason.

A second suspect, Javier Bolden, is awaiting trial.

Police tracked down the suspects through Ying Wu's stolen mobile phone.