N.B. man sentenced to life for murder

A Saint John, N.B., man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday in the stabbing death of his estranged wife.

Jason Getson, 30, pleaded guilty in December to second-degree murder. He attacked Melanie Getson in broad daylight in the parking lot of a tanning salon on Rothesay Avenue last May.

The woman suffered 25 wounds, including stabs to her neck, heart, lung and liver. She was pronounced dead at hospital.

The Court of Queen's Bench in Saint John heard victim impact statements Tuesday from family and friends who described the 28-year-old as a vibrant, caring woman who was always smiling.

Her parents, Ron and Heather Davis, said Jason Getson took their life, their heart and their future.

The court also heard from witnesses to the crime. They talked about guilt over not being able to save the victim, about the nightmares and flashbacks they suffer and about not being able to trust others.

'An unspeakable tragedy': judge

Judge Hugh McLellan called the case "an unspeakable tragedy" that should get people wondering what else can be done as a society to end domestic violence.

During a previous hearing, the court was told that Melanie Getson had left her husband about two weeks before the attack. She told him that their five-year marriage was over and she planned to start dating again.

He told a colleague that if he couldn't have her, nobody else could.

Getson will not be eligible for parole for 20 years.