To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

AUBURN, N.Y. -- It was an emotional day in Cayuga County Court for the family of a woman who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Ryan Brahney, 40, was sentenced to 54-years to life in prison for the murder of Bridget Bell last year.

Earlier this month, Brahney was found guilty of two counts of second degree murder, criminal contempt and one count of criminal possession of a weapon. Brahney stabbed Bell to death inside her home at Olympia Terrace Apartments in Auburn last November. Their three-year-old son, Fin, was asleep upstairs at the time.

"The nightmares are still going to be there. I'm always, they're always going to be there. I mean, hopefully in time they'll subside a little bit, but I wake up every morning because right now, Fin still refuses to sleep alone," said Colleen Bell, the victim’s mother.

"I do believe Mr. Brahney is a very, extremely emotionally disturbed man. The judge rejected that as a basis to reduce the charge of murder to manslaughter," said defense attorney Simon Moody.

Brahney did not appear for sentencing in court Thursday.