JOHN Hetsberger, 23, was sentenced on Friday to 10 years’ imprisonment by Justice Navindra Singh, after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

The indictment read to the court states that on August 8, 2014, Hetsberger murdered 57-year-old Jennifer Ann Mendonca at her home. He was 18- years-old at the time of the incident.

The young man appeared before Justice Singh with his attorney, Dexter Todd, and admitted to the crime. His case therefore, was not sent through for a trial.

According to his statement, the woman was a spiritualist, and his father went to her for ‘fixing’, and subsequently died. Hetsberger was just eight years old at the time of his father’s death, and grew with hate on his mind, for Mendonca.

Hetsberger showed grave remorse for his actions in 2014. He cried before the judge, saying that he was young and he made a mistake. He said he grew up believing that the woman was responsible for the death of his father in 2006 and he retaliated and ended her life.

Justice Singh pointed out that he is impressed with reports that he has turned his life around in prison.

During the five years Hetsberger spent behind bars, he took all the available classes they have in prison. He now specialises in joinery and builds furniture for all the prisons in Guyana. In addition, he heads the church choir, and is currently preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.

The judge said this is proof that when he is reinstated to society, he will be a valuable addition.

With that, he was given a lenient sentence of 10 years, and having already served five, Hetsberger will only serve five years more.
The State was represented by attorneys Tuanna Hardy and Abbigail Gibbs.