An Arizona man who kidnapped his estranged wife and buried her alive has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for her murder.

Sandra and David Pagniano were still living together amid divorce proceedings when he abducted her, bound her in packing tape and buried her in a grave hed dug with his bare hands, authorities said.

Their two children, ages 8 and 12, were sleeping at the familys home in Prescott during the kidnapping and were unharmed, authorities said.