A state judge yesterday sentenced an 'Ewa Beach man to 20 years in prison for smothering his wife to death.

Victoria Schuette, 49, was killed Sept. 10, 2007 during a domestic dispute with her 45-year-old husband, Michael.

Michael Schuette on Dec. 7 changed his plea to guilty of manslaughter with "extreme mental or emotional disturbance." As part of a plea agreement, Schuette agreed that he "intentionally and knowingly killed his wife," prosecutors said.

Circuit Judge Richard Pollack sentenced Schuette to 20 years in prison. The minimum term will be set by the Hawai'i Paroling Authority and prosecutors plan to argue at that time for Schuette to serve the maximum term of his sentence.

During an argument, Schuette laid on his wife after she fell face-first in their backyard, Deputy Prosecutor Rom Trader said in December. Schuette "compressed" her until she asphyxiated, Trader said.

Victoria Schuette was "a vivacious, energetic woman, filled with vitality," Trader said.

Victoria Schuette had filed for divorce in April and asked her husband to move out, but he resisted, according to Trader.

"This case should serve as an example that when relationships go bad, that is the time of greatest risk," Trader said.