Tracy Kauffman of Knoxville pleaded guilty to murder in Las Vegas.
Phillip Wells worked in Knoxville for a decade before moving to Las Vegas.
A man from Knoxville convicted of murder could learn his prison sentence Tuesday in Las Vegas.
In November, Vegas police said 51-year-old Tracy Kauffman flew to their city with a gun to scare an ex-boyfriend. Kauffman is the former co-owner of Club XYZ in North Knoxville.
The convicted killer's target was Phillip Wells. Wells was a popular bartender in Knoxville for almost a decade before moving to Las Vegas.
Police said Wells was working at a Vegas bar when Kauffman shot him more than 15 times.
This past spring, the shooter pleaded guilty to murder.
Kauffman will appear before a judge Tuesday at 12:30 EST.
The court will hear three victim impact statements. One of the speeches was written by Matt Killingsworth of Knoxville.
Killingsworth flew to Las Vegas Monday afternoon, preparing to face the man who killed his friend.
"My letter talks about the kind of person Phil was. Everything everyone knew about Phil that maybe the judge won't. The way his smile lit up a room and the caring person he was. Then, it talks about when I did talk to Tracy to let him know Phil had been murdered and how calm and collected he was throughout all of that," Killingsworth said Monday before boarding a plane.
"The number one thing Kauffman should feel is that not only did he kill Phillip, he hurt an additional family and hundreds of many, many caring and loving friends," said Sandy Kaplan, Wells' mother.
A plea deal has Kauffman serving anywhere from 20 years to life with the possibility of parole for murder.
An additional eight years to life with possible parole could be added for a weapons charge.