Convicted killer Denecho King received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 12 years on Monday.

King, 26, nodded, showing little emotion as he was sentenced by NWT Supreme Court Justice Andrew Mahar in a crowded and tightly secured Yellowknife courtroom.

Behind King, next to a cluster of supporters, his mother wept.  On the other side of the aisle, family members of John Wifladt - the 39-year-old slain by King in a brutal and unprovoked attack - held each other while holding back tears.

On Dec. 14, 2014, King, then 22, entered the Sundridge Place Apartments unit of Colin Digness, who was inside with Wifladt, his longtime friend. Inside, King used two ornamental-style swords, displayed on a stand in DignessSA国际影视传媒� apartment, to fatally stab Wifladt.

Digness was also attacked, but survived, suffering lasting physical and emotional wounds. The two friends were strangers to King and a motive for the attack was never established.

King was convicted in July of second-degree murder for the killing of Wifladt, and aggravated assault for his attack on Digness. Second-degree murder charges carry life sentences with no chance of parole for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 25 years.

In deciding how long King will be behind bars before he can apply for parole, Mahar settled on the lower end of what he called the SA国际影视传媒渕urder spectrum.SA国际影视传媒� The 12-year period handed down by Mahar was five years less than the sentence sought by prosecutors.

KingSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer asked the court to consider parole after 10 to 12 years.

King received a 10-year concurrent sentence Friday for his aggravated assault conviction, which will run at the same time as his second-degree murder sentence.

Mahar said the deadly rampage most likely began with King SA国际影视传媒渟imply looking to party.SA国际影视传媒� King, who drank and committed violent outbursts before the killing, could have come in contact with Wifladt and Digness as the friends made their way up to DignessSA国际影视传媒� apartment.

Maybe he was asked to leave, an argument ensued, and King lost his temper, grabbing two of the largest blades to attack both men, said Mahar. The most likely scenario, Mahar said, is also the least sinister on KingSA国际影视传媒檚 part, and speaks to the spontaneous nature of the attack.

Mahar called Wifladt and Digness SA国际影视传媒渆ntirely innocent.SA国际影视传媒�

By SA国际影视传媒減utting their sadness on paper,SA国际影视传媒� Mahar said family and friends of the victims demonstrated SA国际影视传媒渉ow much harm, suffering, and pain KingSA国际影视传媒檚 actions have caused.SA国际影视传媒�

Mahar called Wifladt  a SA国际影视传媒済entle, thoughtful and productive,SA国际影视传媒� person who played an integral role in his family.

Mahar said he considered the aggravating factors of the attack itself and the circumstances and background of King as an Indigenous offender. King is of Chipewyan descent.

Mahar noted King was on probation for another violent attack when he murdered Wifladt less than a month after his release. Mahar also cited KingSA国际影视传媒檚 lengthy and relevant criminal record, which contains a total of 38 convictions - 10 for violence.

Mahar said he weighed these factors with KingSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渆xtremely difficultSA国际影视传媒� upbringing, marked by SA国际影视传媒渧iolence, chaos and deprivation.SA国际影视传媒� King was sent away for behavioral treatment three times, first when he was a young child, the court heard.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think he ever felt part of our family,SA国际影视传媒� wrote KingSA国际影视传媒檚 brother in a pre-sentence report cited Friday. SA国际影视传媒淗e was always getting sent away.SA国际影视传媒�

In coming to his decision, Mahar said the offenderSA国际影视传媒檚 insight into his own behavior, along with his goals for the future, show thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still hope for rehabilitation.

SA国际影视传媒淚t isnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite the closure we wanted,SA国际影视传媒� John WifladtSA国际影视传媒檚 father, Jack Wifladt,  told reporters outside the Yellowknife courthouse.

SA国际影视传媒淲e would have sooner seen (Mahar) take it closer to what the Crown wanted. But itSA国际影视传媒檚 the judgeSA国际影视传媒檚 call and weSA国际影视传媒檒l live with it,SA国际影视传媒� said Wifladt.

He said his view of his sonSA国际影视传媒檚 killer hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 changed.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of us has bad upbringings or whatever but thatSA国际影视传媒檚 no excuse for what you do,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Wifladt, who told reporters heSA国际影视传媒檚 seen no remorse from King, said he may have viewed him differently had he SA国际影视传媒渏ust even faced us and said ISA国际影视传媒檓 very sorry.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淏ut that never came.SA国际影视传媒�

King must provide a sample of his DNA and is barred from possessing firearms for life.