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FRIDAY 11am
Michael Cardamone, 50, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with no fixed parole period for the brutal murder of Whorouly mother Karen Chetcuti (nee Verbunt).
Justice Lex Lasry said sometimes a crime was “so cruel, so horrific and so callous” that a step towards mercy, or parole, was too much.
He said the protection of community was a significant factor in the sentencing.
Cardamone was also sentenced to eight years imprisonment for an incitement to murder charge and three months for breaching parole.
Justice Lasry said the case against Cardamone was “almost overwhelming”.
“You treated her and her body with absolute contempt,” Justice Leary said.
“The method by which you killed her… was grossly violent.”
Justice Leary said it was very difficult to accept Cardamone was truly remorseful for his actions.
“I am not persuaded you are genuinely remorseful,” he said.
“You took every conceivable action to avoid responsibility for Ms Chetcuti’s murder.”
Justice Leary said finding Ms Chetcuti body must have been a horrifying discovery for searchers.
MORE TO COME
PREVIOUSLY:
THE man who brutally murdered Whorouly mother of two Karen Chetcuti Verbunt will soon learn his fate.
Sentencing submissions for Michael Cardamone will begin in the Wangaratta Supreme Court on Monday.
He is expected to be sentenced on Friday.
The 50-year-old, who is a convicted rapist, drugged Ms Chetcuti Verbunt with an animal tranquiliser, bound and gagged her, fractured her skull and set her alight in January last year.
He injected her with battery acid and ran over her after she died and later claimed a man who helped destroy Ms Chetcuti Verbunt's car was responsible.
He had maintained his innocence up until June, when he entered a guilty plea.