Kevin Mantla has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.

The 39-year-old Gameti man convicted of killing Elvis Lafferty in a brutal knife attack that left Lafferty's girlfriend SA国际影视传媒� Mantla's ex-partner SA国际影视传媒� seriously wounded, showed little emotion as Justice Charbonneau read her decision in NWT Supreme Court Thursday afternoon.

SA国际影视传媒淵es,SA国际影视传媒漺hispered Lafferty's younger brother SA国际影视传媒� seated next to half a dozen teary-eyed family members and supporters SA国际影视传媒� as the sentenced was handed down.

SA国际影视传媒淣o matter what sentence I impose SA国际影视传媒� nothing will make up for the loss SA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� said Charbonneau, calling the fallout from Mantla's actions SA国际影视传媒渦nbelievably sad.SA国际影视传媒�

In the early hours of Sept. 28, 2015, Lafferty was stabbed to death inside a Lanky Court Apartment unit by Mantla, who'd flown to Yellowknife from Gameti the day before. In what Charbonneau called a jealousy-fueled and focused attack, Mantla then turned the knife on his ex-partner, nearly severing her hand as she struggled to defend herself.

Mantla was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder in May. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, second-degree murder convictions carry an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 25 years.

Two of the victim's young children, who were inside the apartment during the attack, watched as their mother fought for her life. Elvis Lafferty's mother Mary Jane and father Archie were also inside the unit when their son was fatally stabbed.

The presence of the children and Lafferty's parents, Charbonneau said, made the attack SA国际影视传媒渁ll the more devastating.SA国际影视传媒� Citing numerous victim impact statements read in court last week, Charbonneau said some of the family members blame each other for the attack. Charbonneau was clear: don't.

SA国际影视传媒淭here's only one person who bears responsibility for the what happened and that person is Mr. Mantla,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Charbonneau added someday the children will need to know what happened, which will mean trying to SA国际影视传媒渆xplain the unexplainable.SA国际影视传媒�

Evoking the words of Crown prosecutor Jill Andrews, Charbonneau called Mantla's attack the SA国际影视传媒渦ltimate form of domestic violence.SA国际影视传媒� Pointing to Mantla's criminal record SA国际影视传媒� which contains numerous offences of mischief and no-contact breaches related to his ex-partner and victim SA国际影视传媒� Charbonneau said SA国际影视传媒渋t does not take a lot of imagination to get a picture of just how unhealthy the relationship was.SA国际影视传媒�

The convictions, she said, add SA国际影视传媒渃hilling context,SA国际影视传媒� to the woman's victim impact statement, in which she lamented having to SA国际影视传媒渨alk on eggshellsSA国际影视传媒� around a jealous and controlling Mantla.

Charbonneau said domestic violence is SA国际影视传媒渁ll too present in our communities,SA国际影视传媒� and in the courts.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's everyone's problem and it should concern everyone,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Charbonneau added the root of the problem, as seen in Mantla's case, is often an SA国际影视传媒渦nhealthy sense of possessiveness over one's spouse.SA国际影视传媒�

She said the only good that can come from the tragic event is "people taking stock of what's going on in their communities, " so that other families don't go through something similar.

SA国际影视传媒淩ight now my son is six-feet underground,SA国际影视传媒� Archie Lafferty told reporters outside the Yellowknife courthouse following the decision.

SA国际影视传媒淚f ISA国际影视传媒檓 lucky I might see him in heaven. But right now I wonSA国际影视传媒檛 see my oldest boy again,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Elvis Lafferty's mother, Mary Jane, expressed disappointment with the sentence.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut why 20 years? They should have just thrown him in for 25 years and throw the key away,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Mary Jane said she'll never see her son walk through the door again.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat's the only thing that's on my mind right now,SA国际影视传媒� said Mary Jane, fighting back tears.

For the attempted murder conviction, Mantla received a 15-year sentence to be served concurrently. He's barred from contacting Lafferty's family and his ex-partner's children, and is prohibited from owning firearms for life.

Mantla, who smiled as he exited the courtroom Thursday, maintains his innocence and has expressed an intent to appeal his conviction.