Former Correctional Officer killed his mother. Then, he said, “I love her with my whole heart.”

A Hawaiian man who fatally shot his mother multiple times in the head will spend decades behind bars.

Oahu Circuit Judge Rowena Somerville sentenced former Oahu Community Correctional Center training sergeant Anthony F. Pereira II to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the shooting death of 66-year-old Barbara Pereira. Pereira was found guilty by Somerville in a jury-waived trial of second-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, according to the Hawaiian Tribune-Herald.

On June 10, 2016, officers responded to the home of Pereira in Maili, where they found him in his garage with a gun and his mother’s body on the floor.  During the trial, Dodie Guzman, 56, a victim involved with the incident, testified meeting the defendant at a mutual friend’s home before she followed Pereira to his home three days prior to the fatal incident.

Based on a ruse for a quick stop at his residence, the defendant lured Guzman into the home, then padlocked the gate and held her hostage with Barbara Pereira. Guzman told the court Pereira had shot his mother in the leg and bandaged her up before sending a warning shot past her head.

While holding Barbara Pereira and Guzman hostage, the defendant used his phone to call his wife and daughter on the phone before fatally shooting his mother three times in the eye, forehead, and arm.

Pereira’s defense team argued the 52-year-old defendant had suffered from emotional or mental disturbance. In addition, Pereira testified he does not recall shooting his mother and saying he was drinking and doing drugs. The defendant also told the court he had seen scary photos of his wife injured and the face of his daughter cut off. Though a psychologist examined Pereira, the court found the assessment for the defendant’s cognitive and volitional evaluation was not met.

The defense team attempted to persuade the court to sentence Pereira to a lesser sentence of 20 years on a manslaughter charge instead.

The judge disagreed and described the defendant’s action as callous and heinous.

During the sentencing hearing, Pereira addressed his family and claimed he loved his mother.

“For somebody to say that I don’t love mom, you guys know that’s not true. I love her with all my heart. I ask for forgiveness for putting mom in one situation that got her killed… and with that being said I’m sorry,” said Pereira, reported KHON 2.

Sommerville sentenced the defendant to an additional 20 years for the firearm charge and five years each for the other charges.