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A Potomac teen pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Circuit Court Monday to the May 2009 murder of a Gaithersburg man, according to Emily White, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office.

Artie Ellis, 16, of the 7700 block of Scotland Drive, was charged as an adult along with his girlfriend, Potomac resident Emily Drew Geller, 18, in the murder of Ali Reza Zare, 57. His body was found May 10 by a jogger on the Bells Mill Road walking path near Bells Mill Elementary and Cabin John Middle schools.

The teenagers allegedly lured Zare into a secluded area, struck him on the head with a shovel, robbed him and left him to die, Assistant State's Attorney Gerald Collins alleged at Geller's bail review hearing Oct. 15.

Ellis admitted to striking Zare with the shovel, though the plan was Geller's, White said. Prosecutors have said Geller and Zare knew each other, but they have not said how.

An attorney for Geller, Barbara Graham, did not return a call for comment.

Ellis will receive a life sentence with all but 25 years suspended, White said. He will be eligible for parole after 22 years, though the governor would need to approve the parole, according to Ellis' lawyer, Rene Sandler. Sandler said she will request that Ellis serves his sentence at the youthful offender program at the Patuxent Institution, a correctional mental health facility in Jessup.

She said Ellis was remorseful for his actions and had been emotional in court proceedings.

"Certainly he's learning about the impact and understanding the impact of what he's done and changing his ways, so that when he does get out one day he's going to be productive member of the community," she said.

Patrick Smith, then a lawyer for Ellis, said in an October court hearing that Ellis has previously dealt with attention deficit disorder and anger management problems, and has a history of hospitalizations at Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health, a Rockville mental health facility.

"He's a kid that has struggled and needs some additional skills," Sandler said.

On May 9, several phone calls were placed between Zare's cell phone and the land line at the Larkmeade Terrace home where Geller lived with her parents, Donald and Madelaine, a half-mile from where Zare's body was found, according to court documents.

Court documents allege the two stole items from Zare, including a blue Subaru and credit cards. Geller's fingerprints were later found on the car, which had been abandoned near Seven Locks Elementary School. Police uncovered Zare's cell phone at Ellis' home after executing a search warrant in May. Police also uncovered a shovel, which Collins said is believed to be the murder weapon, at Geller's home after conducting a search warrant Oct. 14.

Two teens matching the couple's descriptions attempted to make withdrawals from a Bank of America cash machine at the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda the day following the murder, court documents state.

Both teens were indicted on six counts, including murder and robbery with a dangerous and deadly weapon.

Ellis will be sentenced in July and Geller is expected to face trial in May. Sandler would not comment on whether Ellis would testify against her.