Robert Reitmeier gets life for beating Calgarian to death

Self-proclaimed white supremacist RobertReitmeierhas been sentenced tolife in prison with no chance of parole for 13 yearsin the 2010 beating death of aCalgary man.

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Mark Mariani, 47, wasbeaten in an alley behind a strip mall in northwest Calgary before collapsing byhis vehiclein anearby parking lot in October2010.

Reitmeier was found guilty of second-degree murder in November.

His friend,Tyler Sturrup,is already serving a lifesentencewith no parole for 10 yearsafter pleading guilty in March.

During the trial, the juryheard intercepted phone calls between Reitmeier and Sturrupwhere they discussed concerns about police and media attention on the crime.

Thecourt also viewed surveillance footagefrom nearby stores that shows a woman and two menentering and exiting a business near the crime scene the morning Mariani was killed. A Calgary detective identified the men as Reitmeier and Sturrup.

The Crown argued during the trial that Marianiwasthe victim of a seemingly random, unprovoked attack who wassimply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Family hopes to move on

The fact that there was no motive and the47-year-old had struggled with Crohn's disease wereaggravating factors inthe final sentence.

Mariani's family saidthey may never know why he died, but the sentence brought some relief.

More than a dozen family memberscame to courteach day of the trial and had to hear about thehorrific details ofMariani'sfinal moments.

"It's like another stab to the heart..., every day we had to sit here and listen to it," saidMark's sister KathyWeltzin.

Reitmeier's lawyer hasn't said whether or not an appeal will be filed, but the family is hoping to move ahead.

"We can't put anymore of our energy and our love towards this. This is over," said Mark's brother DinoMariani.

The family says now is the time to celebrate hislife and they are thinking of starting a foundation in his name.

"We don't have this darkness hanging over us anymore ...and now we can celebrate his happy smile,"saidWeltzin.