The case that sparked weeks of national media attention, in part because of the high-speed chase across Indiana that ended in Ludwig’s arrest, closed quietly this morning in a one-hour proceeding in Lancaster County Court.

Neither Ludwig, now 19, nor the family of the victims, Michael and Cathryn Borden, chose to speak in the courtroom about the impact of the double homicide on their lives.

Judge David Ashworth, at the close of the proceeding, told Ludwig that his “selfish’’ acts that day had destroyed not only two lives, but Ludwig’s own and those of the victims’ families, “and nothing you can do or say will ever change that.’’

“Taking responsibility for what you’ve done is but one small step,’’ in making amends for those actions, Ashworth said.

“Justice was served,” Lancaster County District Attorney Donald Totaro said at a press conference after the proceeding, noting that Ludwig will spend the rest of his life behind bars. “Life means life. There is no possibility of parole.”

Defense attorney Merrill Spahn said at the press conference that by pleading guilty, Ludwig accepted responsibility for the murders.

“He is not inherently evil,” Spahn said. “He is not inherently bad.”

But, he added, Ludwig is “a very troubled young man,” a fact that he said was confirmed by a psychological evaluation, the details of which he declined to reveal.

Kara Borden, the couple’s then-14-year-old daughter and Ludwig’s girlfriend at the time of the murders, also was not in the courtroom this morning. The center of controversy, she had fled the state with Ludwig after the killings. Totaro has said there was no evidence she had anything to do with the murders.

Ludwig, his hair parted in the middle and slicked back into a ponytail, showed no emotion and answered in one- or two-word responses to Ashworth’s questions explaining his legal rights during the proceeding.

Defense attorney James Gratton said that “out of respect for the Borden family,’’ Ludwig would not be making a statement to the court.

Spahn said afterward that Ludwig feels sorrow and remorse for what he did and has said repeatedly he wishes he could undo his actions.

Though Ludwig was prepared to express that remorse today, Totaro said at the press conference, “The Borden family members thought it was a little late for any apology. They were not interested in hearing any.”

Ludwig decided to plead guilty, the judge was told, rather than risk a jury trial and the possibility that jurors would sentence him to death.

Totaro, who filed notice that if the case went to trial and Ludwig were convicted he would seek the death penalty, said he left the decision to accept a guilty plea to the Borden family.

When Ludwig’s attorneys first approached Totaro with the suggestion of Ludwig’s pleading guilty in return for life in prison, Totaro said, “I discussed that all with members of the Borden family. It was their decision.’’

Additionally, Ludwig pleaded guilty to three additional charges, including recklessly endangering another person, statutory sexual assault and a firearms violation.

For those offenses, Ludwig was given the maximum prison sentence of 9!-W to 19 years in prison, which is to be served consecutively to the two life sentences.

Totaro added that restitution has been set at $125,515, including the cost of the headstone, future counseling costs and damage to the Bordens’ property.

Early on the morning of Nov. 13, the Bordens apparently caught their youngest daughter sneaking back into their home on Royal Drive, after spending the night with Ludwig.

The Bordens, both 50, “summoned’’ Ludwig to their home, Warwick Township Police Detective Lt. Ed Tobin, told the judge.

Ludwig arrived around 7 a.m., carrying several weapons wrapped in a blanket. Michael Borden told him to leave the weapons outside, which he did, Tobin said, and then was invited into the house.

They talked for three-quarters of an hour, Tobin said, with Michael Borden concluding by forbidding Ludwig from dating his daughter and instructing him to go home and talk to his parents about the matter.

Ludwig would later tell investigators that he sat there for about five or 10 minutes, waiting for some sort of sign from Kara about what he should do, Tobin said.

Receiving no indication from Kara, Ludwig told investigators that it was he alone who made the decision to kill Kara’s parents, Tobin said.

“I wanted to shoot them,’’ Tobin quoted Ludwig as saying, “and I did.’’

Ludwig followed Kara’s father to the front door, pulled out a gun he had hidden in his pants and shot Michael Borden in the back of the head.

He then stepped into the living room and shot and killed Cathryn Borden, who was sitting in a chair, Tobin said.

Meanwhile, Kara and her older sister, Katelyn, now 16, fled the house, as did their 11-year-old brother, David.

Ludwig fled the scene, stopping long enough to pick up Kara, whom he spotted running down the street.

Police, believing that Kara might have been kidnapped, issued a nationwide Amber Alert in an attempt to find the young girl.

The next day, Tobin said, Indiana State Police troopers spotted the suspect’s car and began a brief, high-speed chase that ended when Ludwig crashed his vehicle into a tree and was taken into custody.

The teenagers, who were not hurt, were later flown back to Lancaster County. Ludwig went straight to jail, and Kara was returned to her family.

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