Murder charges were dropped against a 9-year-old boy from St. Johns, Arizona when he pleaded guilty Thursday to negligent homicide for shooting dead his father and another man in November.

The plea bargain spares the third grader from prison time and is likely to be placed under intensive probation, counseling and possible detention.

Judge Michael Roca of Apache County Juvenile Court said the boy understood the plea bargain contrary to his mother's claim. The mother of the boy believes her son did not shoot the victims.

The boy was eight when he shot his 29-year-old father and a 39-year-old man renting a room at their home on Nov. 5. He used a .22 caliber rifle to shoot the victims multiple times allegedly because his father spanked him for the 1,000th time.

His admission of the crime was not accepted as evidence because there was no guardian nor counsel present when he talked to investigators.