An Alberta man who admitted he strangled a 14-year-old girl out for a walk will serve at least 18 years in prison.
Ross Edward Kleman, 45, pleaded guilty last spring to the second-degree murder of Emily Stauffer two years ago in Edson, about 200 kilometres west of Edmonton.
The conviction carries an automatic life sentence with no chance at parole for 10 years, but Mr. Justice L.J. Smith agreed on Tuesday with the Crown and defence and ruled Mr. Kleman can only apply after 18 years.
An agreed statement of facts described how Mr. Kleman strangled Ms. Stauffer and slashed her throat.
It also included descriptions of the weapons used, the results of DNA tests and details of video confessions he made.
The teen's family fought back tears as they read their victim impact statements.
Court heard that a psychiatric assessment determined Mr. Kleman is a low to moderate risk to reoffend, but the Crown asserted that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The prosecution also said that anyone capable of such acts could do it again.
The defence countered by saying Mr. Kleman was obviously remorseful because he opted to forgo a preliminary hearing and then pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Mr. Kleman was charged with first-degree murder.
The judge also gave Mr. Kleman an additional two years for unrelated sexual interference charges and a lifetime ban on possessing weapons.
The Canadian Press