A man, who had dressed as Santa Claus for a Halloween party he helped throw, has pleaded guilty in connection to the fatal shooting of a party guest and now awaits sentencing at a punishment trial.

At a sentencing hearing Tuesday, Randall Jones, 33, stared down at the defense table and never looked up in state District Judge David Wahlberg's courtroom as witnesses pieced together the events that led to an intoxicated Jones firing 12 rounds from a .40-caliber handgun inside a North Loop home on Avenue F in 2017.

Two weeks ago, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, and in doing so opted to bypass a jury so that the judge would hand down his punishment. Wahlberg could have his ruling by the end of the week.

The murder conviction carries a sentence of five to 99 years in prison. Michael "Ted" McCloskey, who witnesses called a hero for attempting to subdue Jones in a back bedroom during the melee, died from multiple gunshot wounds, including some around his midsection where a bullet penetrated his belt buckle. His father, who also goes by Michael, described his son as an avid outdoorsman who took a nontraditional path after graduation from McCallum High School and helped his dad build and operate a 5,800-acre hunting destination and nature retreat in West Texas.

Another witness described McCloskey as quiet with a dry sense of humor. He was 37 when he died and was divorced. Not one to pose for photos, prosecutors had trouble finding a recent picture of him. He also wasn't one to wear a costume to a costume party: Court exhibits showed the blood-soaked brown Dickie's pants and work jacket he was wearing the night he was killed.

McCloskey was among several people who tried to persuade Jones to go to bed as the party began to wind down around 6 a.m., witnesses told police. But Jones became agitated, according to the party guests, and started firing from the entrance of his bedroom. McCloskey rushed Jones and tackled him into the bedroom, and the two continued to struggle. Austin police Detective David Fugitt testified that furniture and a TV were overturned, and that one of the men possibly hit the other with a metal paper towel holder that was dented in multiple spots.

McCloskey was taken to a hospital where he died later that day.

Jones left the home and went five doors down where he rang the doorbell after setting the gun on the porch. He got onto the ground and was arrested without incident.

According to a police affidavit, Jones shouted, “I did not want this to [expletive] happen — Why did they have to [expletive] push it? — Why did they have to [expletive] go to my room! — Why did they have to go to my room?! — They’re not paying for it — Why the [expletive] do I have to deal with this? ... I just want to go to sleep and be left alone.”

Two other guests were badly injured, including Jennifer Beard, who lived with Jones at the home. She is connected to a well-known Travis County murder case through her mom, Celeste Beard, who is serving a life sentence for capital murder after persuading her lover, Tracey Tarlton, to kill her husband, Steven Beard, 20 years ago.

Beard's identical twin, Kristina Fritz, testified that Beard needed 10 surgeries to recover from two wounds to the stomach. Her core muscles were so weakened from the attack that she struggles to find the stamina needed to walk. She cannot work and relies on Fritz for financial support, Fritz said.

"If I couldn't help her out, she'd be homeless," Fritz said.