'You have a depraved heart': Judge's harsh words for man who used dumb bell to murder 18-year-old girl at request of jealous teenager as he is sent to prison for life
- Dustin Gran found guilty of murdering Krista Pike at her home in 2008
- Co-accused Brittany Navarra due to stand trial later this year for her alleged role in killing
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A California judge told a man who killed an 18-year-old girl that he had a depraved heart, as she sentenced the killer to life in prison without parole.
Dustin Gran was found guilty in March of bludgeoning Krista Pike to death with a dumb bell five years ago, allegedly as a favor to a jealous teenager.
The family of Miss Pike, who had just celebrated her engagement when she was murdered, hugged and smiled outside the courtroom after the sentencing.
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Court: Dustin Gran, pictured left in court Friday, showed no reaction as he was handed a life sentence
Loss: Krista Pike has just got engaged to her boyfriend when she was murdered in 2008
Gran was accused of killing Miss Pike in January 2008, allegedly on the orders of her fiance's ex-girlfriend, Brittany Navarra who will go on trial later this year.
Horrific: Krista, 18, was bludgeoned to death at her California home
He declined the chance to address the court, or his victim's family, before Judge Marie Sovey Silveira told him he had acted with malice as she sentenced him on Friday.
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ShareOne of the victim's relatives addressed the court, telling Gran: 'You have taken from us someone beautiful, kind and loving.'
Miss Pike's family had asked for Gran to be given life without parole, and the judge agreed, saying it was the right decision, Your Central Valley reported.
She said that Gran had a depraved heart and never shown any remorse, then added: 'The evidence proved that Mr Gran committed this murder because he want to.'
As the case, which had taken five years to be heard, came to an end, Miss Pike's family were seen hugging and smiling.
'It feels like a large weight has been lifted off our shoulders; it's given us the opportunity for closure,' MIss Pike's father, Russel, said.
'Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays were all changed [when Krista died],' he added.
In court, he told the judge: 'I miss her laugh, her smile, her marshmallow cheeks and most of all, her hugs,' ABC 30 reported.
Accused: Dustin Gran, right, and Brittany Navarra, left, who is also facing charges over Krista's murder
Plot: Gran allegedly agreed to kill Krista as a favor to Brittany Navarra, right, who used to date the victim's fiace
Miss Pike's brother, also named Russel, was 14 when she was murdered. He told the court how the family struggled in to cope in the days after her death.
'I remember waking up to the sound of my mom crying. We didn't do much other than eat, sleep and cry,' Russel Jr said.
The murder had received so much attention that the trial had to be moved from Miss Pike's home town of Madera, to Modesto.
Her family and attorneys were also bound by a gag order, preventing them commenting on the trial.
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