PORTSMOUTH -- A Portsmouth man was sentenced to 42 years in prisonfor the sexual assault and murder of a former classmate.
Robert Lee Barnes pleaded guilty to repeatedly stabbing 16-year-old Meghan Landowski in her home in April 2008.He was 17 at the time of the killing.
'I wish I could bring her back. Remorse, regretful are only words to describe how I feel. I take full responsibility for my actions,' he said before sentencing Thursday. 'The time I spent in jail made me realize how destructive my actions were.'
Landowski's mother and father also spoke at the sentencing.
'Losing Meghan crushed my world,' said Angela Shortt. 'I will never see her graduate from High School, get married. It has totally changed my world.'
The sentence was 38 years for first degree murder, twoyears for aggravated sexual battery and two years for statutory burglary.
