A man from California has been handed a lengthy prison sentence after admitting to the fatal stabbing of his stepmother and the attempted murder of his father.

In October, 34-year-old Justin Tray Buchanan confessed to the murder of Kelly Jean Buchanan, the attempted murder of William Louis Buchanan, and an assault on their neighbor, Sergio Rangel. These admissions were reported by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

The violent incidents occurred on July 16, 2023, during a heated dispute when Justin turned on his parents with a knife. The confrontation with his stepmother escalated outside, where their neighbor Rangel tried to intervene.

Surveillance cameras captured the harrowing moments as Justin Buchanan chased his stepmother around the property, eventually tackling her to the ground and stabbing her no fewer than seven times, detailed in the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Her cries for help prompted Rangel to rush to her aid.

While Rangel managed to ward off the attacker without suffering any injuries, Kelly Buchanan tragically lost her life, and William Buchanan sustained severe injuries.

“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.