Life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 18 years. That's the sentence handed down by the High Court at Whangarei today to Edwin Maheno for the brutal murder of his uncle and aunt, Ivan and Carmen Maheno, in Pamapuria in May this year.
Some family members say the court's sentence is too long, while others say it's not long enough.
Victim impact statements were the focus of today's hearing, with elders reading the statements of the children of the two deceased.
The High Court likened the double murder that took place in May to an execution that had been brewing for some time between Edwin Maheno and his uncle and aunt over the management of the Maheno family homestead situated on Puke Hapai, which eventually resulted in their brutal murder.
Today, the bereaved families came a step closer towards finding closure.