NEW CITY – A Valley Cottage man, who pled guilty to killing his neighbor by hitting her across the head with a blunt object and then slashing her throat on November 29, 2009, was sentenced Friday in Rockland County Court to 22 years to life in state prison.

Eric Lau, 34, of One Church Lane in Valley Cottage, pled guilty to one count of felony intentional murder in the second degree for breaking into the apartment of Jami Erlich, 32, a Ramapo elementary school physical education teacher. He attacked her when she arrived home at 9:30 p.m.

Lau eluded police for almost two days until he was taken into custody by Clarkstown Town Police on Lansdale Drive in New City on the evening of December 1.

“The victim in this case was a young woman with a bright future,” said District Attorney Thomas Zugibe. “Her untimely death is a constant reminder to her family of the defendant’s depraved action.”

The DA said he hopes the victim’s relatives can find some closure in knowing that Lau has been punished and sent to prison.