Smithfield woman pleads guilty to killing boyfriend

Tiffany Ann Bassett pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the July 18, 2006, death of Donald "Keith" West, who was found dead in the bedroom of the home they shared. She was sentenced to 221 to 275 months in prison.

The plea ended a trial that began last week. Bassett had been charged with first-degree murder in the case and faced a life sentence if convicted on that charge.

The trial was supposed to begin in March, but was postponed twice because of administrative issues.

West worked as a Smithfield police officer for several years before leaving the force in 2001 to start a private police security operation, West-Tek Inc.