A 52-year-old who murdered Christchurch man Marcus Tucker in a case of mistaken identity has been sentenced to life in prison.
Peter Carroll was found guilty of the murder in October after he killed Mr Tucker in an unprovoked attack in April last year by striking him repeatedly with a wheel lock while he slept at an Addington house in Christchurch.
His body was found badly beaten and burnt on the shores of Lake Ellesmere on ANZAC day last year.
Carroll accepted he caused the death of Mr Tucker but argued during the trial he had no intention of killing him.
There were tears from the family of Mr Tucker at the sentencing of his killer in the Christchurch High Court on Thursday.
Several members of Mr Tucker's family read out emotional victim impact statements to the court describing their grief and heartache since finding the 36-year-old had been killed.
His mother, Robin Tucker, stood by Mr Tucker's sister as she told Carroll his death tore her apart.
"Mr Carroll you took all of who he is and was just a name in the paper," Belinda Ross said.
"Marcus will never get to share a drink with his kids, find a loving partner or hold his grandchildren in his arms," Ms Tucker added.
Mr Tucker, who was a father of three children was involved in a criminal underworld and was murdered in a case of mistaken identity.
His eldest son was 18-years-old at the time, he was in court beside his mother as she read her victim impact statement.
"When I looked into my son's eye and told him his father was murdered I was heartbroken," she said.
Carroll will serve a minimum term of 17 years behind bars.
Newshub.
