Former Kirkland resident Amy Hargrove predicted her own death.

Just months before she was strangled to death on Jan. 5, 2014, the young mother petitioned for a protection order, telling a court that her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child would kill her.

That fact struck a chord with Judge Catherine Shaffer, who sentenced Burrell Michael Cushman to 275 months, or 23 years, on Friday, Aug. 2, in King County Superior Court in Seattle.

The judge told the courtroom that she has never seen a domestic violence victim predict her own death. Shaffer also stated Cushman is to never have contact with his young son.

“I’m convinced beyond any question in my own mind that Mr. Cushman is guilty of this murder,” Shaffer said.

Cushman was convicted of second-degree murder in July, along with a charge of felony violation of a court order.

Hargrove, who was 28 years old at the time of her death, was found in an apartment attached to her mother’s house where she lived with her son.

Cushman also faced a first-degree arson charge for which he was found not guilty. Prosecutors failed to make the case that Cushman attempted to burn the house down to cover up his crime.

Hargrove filed a restraining order against Cushman in 2013 following a tumultuous relationship. He admitted he had broken this restraining order and was subsequently arrested when questioned the day after the murder.

Cushman was found to have strangled Hargrove in her own bed, likely following a day they had spent together.

When Hargrove’s mother found the body and notified police, they also found the kitchen doused in cooking oil and a burner on the stove left on beneath a pan filled with oil.

DNA matching Cushman’s was found under Hargrove’s fingernails and he admitted to being at the apartment during the hour prosecutors said Hargrove was murdered.