No chance of parole for 20 years for Sask. man who murdered Kelly Goforth, Richele Bear

Warning: This story includesgraphic details and languagethat some readers may find offensive

Emotions boiled overin a Regina courtroom as ajudge sentenced confessed murderer Clayton BoEichler to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 20 years.

A minimum of 20 years behind barswas recommendedby both Crown and defence lawyersafter Eichler's surprise guilty plea, on Monday,in the deaths ofKelly Goforth, 21, and Richele Bear, 23.

• 'I miss everything about her': Goforth, Bear families share victim impact statements
• Regina man pleads guilty to murders of Kelly Goforth, Richele Bear
• ClaytonEichlerchooses trial by judge alone

"I am deeply sorry. There's no reversing this," a weeping Eichlersaid Tuesday in theCourt of Queen's Bench as relatives of Bear and Goforth watched.

"We all know this pain is not going away for a while."

Goforth's body was found in a dumpsterin September 2013, but Bear's remains were never found.

After the court proceedings, Kelly Goforth's mother, Maxine Goforth, said she was surprised to hear Eichler apologize.

"I'd just like to say that I'm glad it's all over with," Goforthsaid, pausing frequently to fight back tears. "I'm satisfied with the verdict because he did something I didn't expect he apologized."

"That means a lot because, you know, my baby was wrapped in garbage bags and a hockey bag, and I thought he had no soul."

Gorforth said she will tell her grandson that Kelly's killer is sorry, and her family can now move on the best they can.

"It's been hard, hard on our family, and got to let it go," she said. "I feel for the other family because they don't have a daughter to bury. That process still needs to be done for them."

'Burn in hell, you bastard'

Relatives at the hearing cried and angrily demandedthat Eichler tell them where he put Bear's remains.

"I don't have that answer," he said.

"F--king burn in hell, you bastard," one person in the courtroom shouted.

Eichler's lawyer Morris Bodnar earlier told the court that his client was addicted tometh at the time of the murders.

Following the sentencing on Tuesday, Angela Gray Bear's aunt said she still doesn't have closure.

"That's never an excuse to do what he's done to these girls," Gray said. "I don't care how addicted he was."

Calling Eichler "a sick, sick man", she said "it's unfair" that he didn't tell them what he did with Richele's body.

Michele Bear Richele Bear's mother said didn't believe Eichler's apology.

"I didn't believe him. If he really was sorry, and he really was sympathetic toward me, he would tell me where my daughter is, and he would let my family bring her home so we can start our healing," she said.

Bear thanked many people in the community, Justice Kovach, and the Regina Police Service for their support for her family. She also added "we'll never stop looking" for Richele.

Much of morning was reservedforvictim impact statements. Three members of theBear family and two fromtheGoforth family including the mothers of both victims had their say.

"My granddaughter meant the world to me," Bear's grandmother Mary Hughes said. "Now all I have are the memories anddreams of her coming home."

Hughes directed some of her comments directly at Eichler.

"I would like you to look at me," she said. "I will never understand why. I would like to know what you did withthe body so we'd have closure."

Family members shocked

On Monday, Eichler, 35,was setto go on trial before Justice Fred Kovachforfirst-degree murder, but in a surprise move, he insteadpleadedguilty to second-degree murder in both cases.

With first-degree murder, the sentence isautomatically life in prison with no parole eligibilityfor 25years, whereas for second-degree, the minimumtime that must be servedis 10 years.

MaxineGoforthsaidfamily members were shocked by the guilty pleas butrelieved theywill be spared going through whatwas originally supposed to be atwo-week trial.

Believed to be strangled

Goforth'sbody was discovered Sept. 25, 2013, in a back alley of an industrial/commercial area east of downtown Regina.

Bear was reported missing several weeks earlier, on Sept. 5.

• Aunt says surprise guilty plea isbest outcome for families

The Crownbelieves both women were strangled. Goforth's body was wrapped in plastic and put in a hockey bag. The bag was found in a dumpster.

Photos retrieved fromEichler's cellphone and computer showed Bear in the back of hisvehicle, partially undressed, with her head and face covered. There were also photos of Bear on his bedspread and sleeping bag.