A notorious white supremacist will spend ten years in prison for the random murder of a local man in October 2010.
Tyler Sturrup, 28, pleaded guilty, in a Calgary courtroom on Monday, to second-degree murder in connection to the beating death of 47-year old Mark Mariani.
Mariani was returning to his car in the parking lot of a northwest strip mall when he was attacked.
Sturrup admitted, that he knocked Mariani down and stomped and kicked him in the head for no apparent reason.
Mariani suffered from Crohn's Disease, was unable to defend himself and was found dead at his car the next morning.
Sturrup, who is a founding member of the Calgary Neo-Nazi group, Western European Bloodline, was arrested 7 months later.
He admits there was no motive for the attack and simply saw Mr. Mariani in the alley near the store and assaulted him.
Sturrup has a long criminal history dating back to his teens.
Mark Mariani's family read victim impact statements in court, recalling Mark's courageous fight with Crohn's and his caring personality.
Mariani's sister Kathy says her parents have aged 20 years since their son's murder.
His brother Dino was also in court on Monday and says he's a little numb right now, but remembered his brother as a prince of a man.
"Even the last day that I talked to him, he was in pain and stuff but all he wanted to do was go and help people. And that's the kind of guy Mark was. He really was. He was a generous, giving man," said Dino.
Dino says it was a surprise and a relief that Tyler Sturrup pleaded guilty, saving the family a prolonged trial.
Robert Reitmeier, 25, is also charged in connection with Mariani's murder and will be on trial later this year.
