ALFRED – A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty during his trial Wednesday to killing a woman by tying her between two trees and cutting her wrists and throat.

Walter Moore, 43, was on trial in York County Superior Court for the murder of 41-year-old Connie Gagliardi of Salem, Mass. Gagliardi was found by a bowhunter in Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge in Saco in September 2002.

Moore had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder. But he decided to change his plea after listening to a tape in court Wednesday morning of him confessing to police after his arrest.

Randall Bates, one of the defense attorneys, said it was the first time that Moore had heard the tape. After conferring with his attorneys, Moore pleaded guilty in the afternoon.

“When he heard his own voice, he came to grips with what he had done,” Bates said. “He decided to not put [Gagliardi’s] family through the ordeal and pleaded guilty.”

Moore faces 25 years to life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

The trial started Tuesday with the prosecutor telling jurors that Moore was faking some of his mental illness and was not legally insane.

In his opening statement, Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson did not dispute that Moore has “a number of personality disorders,” but maintained that he was not insane. Moore had said that Gagliardi wanted to commit suicide and asked for his help.

“Even if that’s true,” Benson said, “it’s not a defense to the crime of murder.”

Gagliardi, the youngest of seven sisters, had battled depression most of her life, her siblings told reporters outside of the courthouse. But she had never mentioned suicide, they said.

Police have said Moore was a transient whom Gagliardi took in. Police believe they traveled to Maine together and that Gagliardi was murdered sometime on Sept. 4. Moore stayed at an Old Orchard Beach motel that night and returned to Massachusetts on the Amtrak Downeaster train the next day.

Two witnesses testified that Moore talked to them on the train ride and that they had no difficulty understanding him and he had no problem carrying on a conversation.

Police in Salem were contacted later by a man and woman concerned about Gagliardi’s whereabouts. Detective Brian Gilligan of the Salem police went to Gagliardi’s apartment and found Moore, who was packing his belongings.

Also Tuesday, forensic experts with the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory linked evidence found at the crime scene to Moore, including a rope that was used to tie one of Gagliardi’s wrists. DNA samples matching Gagliardi were also found on a pair of sweat pants that police found among Moore’s belongings.