Gordon Milley will not be eligible for parole for 18 years

Gordon Milley, the Labrador man who strangled 21-year-old Bernice Rich to death in 2013 in Sheshatshiu, will not be eligible for parole for 18 years.

Milley had pleaded guilty in March to second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life-sentence.

Justice George Murphy, in delivering a decision in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Wednesday, said Milley will not be eligible to apply for parole until 2033.

Murphy said the motivation for Milley's crime — Rich had shoved Milley — shows a "frightening and warped mind."

The defence had asked for life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years. The Crown suggested that Milley serve a 20-year term before being able to apply.

Milley, 32, admitted to dragging Rich into the woods and choking her in July 2013.

While he was charged with first-degree murder, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder on March 25.

'Depraved' crime

In rendering his decision, Murphy noted that by Milley's line of thinking that he should should just finish choking Rich after noticing she was still breathing was "depraved."

"I said to myself, just finish it. It's too late now. If she gets up, you'll go to jail. Just do it. So I did it," Milley told police, the day he confessed to killing her.

Prior to Rich's death, Milley had a total of 71 criminal convictions dating back to 2001.

He had been on a court order to stay out Sheshatshiu.