Man Gets Life For Killing New Milford Natives: Report

NEW MILFORD, NJ — A North Carolina judge sentenced Jonathan Sander to life in prison without parole Monday for killing three former New Milford family members after they accused him of theft, according to a report.

Jonathan Frederick Sander was found guilty of killing Sandy Mazzella, 47, his wife, Stephanie Ann Mazzella, 47, and Elaine Toby Mazzella, 76, the Charlotte News & Observer reported. They were shot to death in their Raleigh home on March 25, 2016, ABC11 in North Carolina reported.

Superior Court Judge Graham Shirley ordered Sander directly to prison following the sentencing, telling him, "when you take your last breath, you're going to die forgotten," the News & Observer reported.

Related: 3 New Milford Natives Shot To Death Inside N.C. Home: Authorities

The Mazzellas' then-14-year-old daughter and her grandfather were also inside the house when the shooting occurred but were not injured, according to ABC11. The couple also has a 7-year-old son, NJ.com previously reported.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told ABC11 that the shootings stemmed from an ongoing argument between the Mazzellas and Sanders' family.

In a reordered confession shortly after the murders, Sander told a detective he shot Mazzella for "revenge," so that "his family would be hurt like my family," the News & Observer reported.

The family moved to North Carolina about eight years before the murders, according to NJ.com.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com