A Bowling Green man charged in connection with a fatal drive-by shooting has admitted guilt.

Torian Jackson, 38, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Warren Circuit Court to charges of murder and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

Jackson was under indictment on the charges following the death of Marcus McCathren, 40, of Bowling Green, who was found shot to death Oct. 24, 2022, in the 100 block of Butler Way.

Describing the facts supporting a guilty plea in court, Jackson’s attorney, Jason Pfeil of the Department of Public Advocacy, said that Jackson was driving on Butler Way when he noticed McCathren walking from the opposite direction, pulled out a gun and intentionally shot him.

Warren Circuit Judge John Grise asked Jackson if that accurately described his actions on the night in question, and Jackson said “yes.”

A jury trial was scheduled to begin Sept. 17, and Jackson faced a sentence of 20-50 years or life in prison if convicted as charged.

Jackson instead accepted a plea agreement that recommends a 25-year sentence.

Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kori Beck Bumgarner said in court that McCathren’s family was consulted about the plea offer prior to Tuesday’s hearing and they agreed to it to resolve the case.

McCathren was pronounced dead at the scene when law enforcement responding to a shots fired call found him on Oct. 24, 2022.

The Bowling Green Police Department used video surveillance footage from nearby homes in an effort to piece together what happened, and were able to determine that three shots were fired from the driver’s side of a black Nissan SUV, with one of the shots striking McCathren.

Footage also showed that a brake light was out on the SUV involved in the shooting, according to prior court testimony.

City police received a number of tips in the subsequent days, including an anonymous tip through South Central Kentucky Crime Stoppers that named Jackson as the shooter.

BGPD detectives also spoke to a witness who claimed that Jackson had admitted to her that he killed McCathren, according to court testimony from BGPD Detective Jess Parry in Warren District Court in 2022.

The witness reported that Jackson had been mad at McCathren due to a previous incident in which McCathren broke Jackson’s jaw in a fight, Parry testified.

Jackson was arrested on Oct. 28, 2022.

Though he denied involvement when initially interviewed, investigators found an unspent round in a bag in Jackson’s possession that matched ammunition recovered from the crime scene.

Jackson will be sentenced Sept. 24 by Warren Circuit Judge John Grise.