21-year-old Cody Jeffords was sentenced in Erie County Court to 24 years behind bars, after pleading guilty to manslaughter, for beating 19-year-old Justin Vanderwalker to death last May.
Police say, Jeffords followed Vanderwalker outside and began striking him repeadly with his bare hands after finding his ex-girlfriend and Vanderwalker together in the apartment he and the woman shared.
In court, the defense said, Jeffords actions were the result of unintentional anger and a rough upbringing.
With her son's picture in hand, Colleen Vanderwalker addressed both the court and Jeffords directly saying, "our hearts will never will be forever broken" and "you don't deserve forgiveness from you."
Before hearing his sentence, Jeffords told the court, he "is haunted by what he did, but what's done is done and he hopes one day he can forgive himself."
