The man accused of killing an Okanagan teenager in 2011 was sentenced to life with no eligibility for parole for 17 years.
On Monday in Vernon Supreme Court, Crown and defence made a joint submission regarding the murder of Taylor Van Diest, asking that her killer, Matthew Foerster, be sentenced to life with no eligibility to apply for parole for 17 years. On Tuesday, the justice agreed, meaning Foerster will not be eligible to apply for parole until April 4, 2029. That date will be 17 years after he was arrested.
WATCH BELOW: An extended interview with Crown counsel Christopher McPherson who told reporters, this time, Matthew Foerster cannot appeal.
Van Diest, 18, was found beaten near railroad tracks in Armstrong on Halloween night in 2011. Dressed as a zombie, she died later in hospital.
While walking along the tracks, Van Diest was texting, with the last text stating she was being creeped. Foerster strangled Van Diest with a shoestring and used a heavy flashlight to hit her on the back of her head several times.
The judge called the killing of Van Diest horrific and said the loss to her family was incalculable.
Foerster had been convicted of first-degree murder in April 2014, but was granted a new trial on appeal because of mistakes by the trial judge. He then pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
– with files from Megan Turcato