Jaron Chase Nabors, 19, will get 11 years in prison under the agreement reached with prosecutors. He had faced a murder charge and a possible sentence of 25 years to life. His plea came Monday during a preliminary hearing into whether Nabors and the other three should stand trial for the killing of Eddie "Gwen" Araujo.

"I don't think this was a good morning for the other three defendants, knowing that one has basically decided to enter a plea and testify, but it's a good day for us," said attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Araujo's family.

Jose Antonio Merel, 23, Michael William Magidson, 22, and Jason Michael Cazares, 22, still are charged with murder in the beating and strangulation of Araujo at Merel's house in suburban Newark. The case was charged as a hate crime, an enhancement that was dropped for Nabors as part of his plea agreement.

About two weeks after the slaying, police say, Nabors led them to the body in a shallow grave in the Sierra foothills about 150 miles east of Newark.

Prosecutors say Araujo was killed in the early hours of Oct. 4 after Nabors and his three friends discovered that the girl they knew as Lida was anatomically a young man.

Araujo's mother, Sylvia Guerrero, said she was pleased about the guilty plea entered Monday, which would have been Araujo's 18th birthday.

"That was very comforting to come in this morning and have that happen. And what more perfect day for that to have occurred," she said.

Police say Araujo was beaten and dragged semiconscious into a garage where she was strangled with a rope. But up to now, there have been few details on the exact sequence of events.

"It will be interesting and important to hear the testimony of Mr. Nabors as to what occurred _ who had which role in the ultimate tragedy," Allred said. "It's going to be probably the most difficult testimony for Sylvia to listen to."

Standing outside the courthouse, Araujo's family and friends held on to "Happy Birthday" balloons that bobbed gently in the light breeze.

"Happy birthday, Gwen," Guerrero said, looking up into the pale winter sky. "We love you."