A California man who earlier this year pleaded guilty to stabbing his stepmother to death and trying to kill his father has been sentenced to decades behind bars.
Justin Tray Buchanan, 34, pleaded guilty in October to the murder of Kelly Jean Buchanan, the attempted murder of William Louis Buchanan, and a knife assault on Sergio Rangel, a neighbor of the Buchanans, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office said.
The attacks took place on July 16, 2023, when the younger man attacked his parents with a knife during an argument. The attack on the mother went out of the house and into the yard, where Rangel intervened.
Security footage showed Justin Buchanan chasing his stepmother around the house before he tackled her to the ground and stabbed her at least seven times, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Her screams for help brought Rangel to the scene.
Rangel fended off the assailant and was not injured, but Kelly Buchanan was killed and William Buchanan was seriously injured.
“The tragedy of family violence leaves a lasting effect on the entire family and our community,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “While this sentence will not bring Mrs. Buchanan back, it serves to punish the killer and to send a strong message to others that we will always hold offenders accountable to the maximum extent we can under California law.”
William Buchanan previously testified at a preliminary hearing about his son’s attack, the Tribune said.
“His eyes went completely black, no whites in his eyes,” he said. “I’d never seen him like that before.”
Justin Buchanan apologized and asked his family to forgive him before he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
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[Featured image: Justin Tray Buchanan/San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office]
