Janesville man pleads guilty in homicide case

A man charged with killing his girlfriend in Janesville a year ago has pleaded guilty to the homicide in an agreement with prosecutors.

Twenty-one-year-old Britney Cross has found bludgeoned to death behind a building along the Rock River on May 4, 2014. A witness testified Cross argued with Clayton Courtney near the Memorial Bridge that night, then saw Courtney alone.

Courtney’s guilty plea to first-degree intentional homicide requires a mandatory life prison term, but the sentencing judge could set a possible parole date. Charges related to a knife attack on Courtney’s roommate the same night and threats to the roommate’s girlfriend could be dismissed, but read in at sentencing.

The Janesville Gazette reported sentencing is set for August 12.