"You left a legacy of sadness behind:" Man sentenced to life in prison for killing pregnant girlfriend

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The man accused of killing his girlfriend and her unborn child was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 

“There is no doubt you left a legacy of sadness behind," said Judge Jeffrey Wagner. 

On Monday, 28-year-old Quentin Neal admitted to killing 21-year-old Shannon Mani in April of 2018. She was about four months pregnant with his child at the time. 

“Mr. Neal, what did she do to deserve such a cruel and brutal death?" asked Anshu Mani, Shannon's mom.

He told investigators that they had gotten into a fight when he shot and stabbed her. He then put her body inside a suitcase which he hid inside a storage unit in Milwaukee. 

The biggest question still is, why? 

The defense brought in a doctor to test Neal's mental health but did not find any issues. 

During his sentencing, Neal did not want to speak. 

"Mr. Neal recognizes that his words will mean very little to anybody especially to people that loved and love Shannon Mani and her family," said Travis Schwantes, Neal's attorney. 

Thirty-four people submitted victim impact statements to the court. Her family and friends filled the courtroom wearing purple shirts with her photo to honor her. They say she had a zest for life and made everyone days brighter.

"Shannon was very loveable, selfless, extremely passionate, faithful," said Anshu. 

Since that day, her family has continued to fight for Shannon and her unborn son. 

“They may not be physically seen in this courtroom but I feel their presence fighting hard for their justice," said Anshu.