Brazil ? An Amazon farmer charged in the killing of American nun and rainforest defender Dorothy Stang pleaded guilty Wednesday and said two ranchers ordered her murder because of her opposition to their logging plans.

Amair Feijoli da Cunha, 38, told a jury he offered money to two gunmen to shoot the 73-year-old nun on Feb. 12, 2005, at the behest of ranchers Vitalmiro Moura and Regivaldo Galvao.

Feijoli testified that Galvao told him: “Until we put an end to this woman, we won’t have peace on these lands.”

He said Galvao told him to offer $24,000 to kill Stang. Feijoli said Moura supplied the .38 caliber revolver used in the killing.

The two ranchers have been charged with Stang’s killing, but legal maneuvering has kept their cases from coming to trial.

Para state prosecutor Lauro Freitas said he would ask for the maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for Feijoli.