The argument put forward by Charles Dean Bryant's lawyer - that he panicked only after Jacqueline Vandagriff died during consensual sex - was thrown out by a Texas jury after less than three hours of deliberations.
He received the maximum penalty allowed for the murder of the 24-year-old, whose mutilated body was found in a plastic children's swimming pool on 14 September 2016.
The 31-year-old was also found guilty of tampering with evidence and received a further 20-year jail term, which will run concurrently with his life sentence.
Glynis McGinty, defending, argued that Ms Vandagriff died in an accident while having consensual sex, during which a plastic tie was placed around her neck, causing asphyxiation.
However, prosecutors hit back and said there was no evidence the pair had sex after they met at a bar on 13 September 2016.
Ms McGinty said Bryant had panicked and disposed of the victim's body but did not commit murder.However, prosecution lawyer Lucas Allan told jurors that the man did not "freak out" because Ms Vandagriff had died but that he deliberately killed her and dismembered her body while removing her heart.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, he told the court: "Why cut out the heart? What does it have to do with disposing of a body? He cut her heart out.
"I want that image to sink in."
Ms Vandagriff's purse was later found in the rubbish at Bryant's home.
Investigators later found out that an ex-girlfriend had a protective order against him for allegedly stalking and harassing her.
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