Family of murdered Belle River, Ont., man speak during emotional sentencing hearing

Family and friends of Tony Bechera were quite emotional in court today as they shared how their lives have changed since January 20th, 2024. That's when Glenn Mayer drove to Bechera's Bell River home and killed him after learning he was having an affair with his wife. He turned himself in to police hours after shooting Bechera. It's a murder. No, I'm involved. Mayer says it was in self-defense after going there to merely confront him. But with the jury's conviction, they believed it was planned and premeditated. That jury found Mayer guilty of first-degree murder in June. Today, several victim impact statements were read in court. His mom, who couldn't bring herself to be there for the two-week trial, had her statement read by a family member. Lillian Becerra said the grief affects every part of her life. Part of my heart was taken away from me. The loss of my son has left a hole in my life and can never be filled. Tony's brother, John, described the devastation in court since the murder. His presence made our family complete. The loss of my brother has changed my life forever. There are no words I can use to describe the pain. Mayor himself declined to say anything in court today. He will be facing an automatic life sentence in prison with no chance for parole for 25 years. Mayor held the hands of his mother and father in court while being taken away by police. He's doing the best he can. Some support letters were also filed on Mr. Mayor's behalf and the comments that the court made about our client, who he was and who he is. And so take from that as you can the kind of man who's processing and digesting the circumstances that he is dealing with. His defense lawyer said they intend to file an appeal of the conviction in the next 30 days. Jason Vio, CBC News, Windsor.