The man responsible for brutally slaying a 35-year-old mother will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

"He's where he deserves to be," said Kim Bourgeois, Kelley Clayton's sister.

Michael Beard has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for murdering Clayton in September of 2015.

Chemung County District Attorney Weeden Wetmore said the punishment is absolutely warranted, given this is one of the most heinous crimes he says he's ever seen.

"Murder for hire, especially with a home invasion, killing the mother of two young children, so we’re very satisfied with the outcome,” said Wetmore.

Beard was hired by Kelley's husband, Thomas Clayton. Clayton promised to pay Beard $10,000 in exchange for his wife's death. Less than a week after the killing, Beard confessed to the entire crime, but he has since recanted that confession, and now maintains his innocence.

On Monday, he told Kelley's family he's deeply sorry for their loss, that he feels their pain and grief, but that he did not kill Kelley Clayton.

"I'm really disappointed that he still, up until this point, won't accept responsibility for his actions, but I'm very thankful for the sentence that was imposed on him," said Bourgeois.

Beard's lawyers asked for a lesser sentence, saying the max penalty should be reserved for the “true predator in this case,” Thomas Clayton.

"He was a predator in its truest sense,” said defense attorney Kevin Van Allen. “And I think he preyed on just about everybody in his life, including Michael Beard, and exploited some of his vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Clayton appeared to be the master of that."

Thomas Clayton will also face prison time after being convicted last week. But for the family, justice only goes so far.

"Nothing brings Kelley back, but I'm thrilled that he's not going to ever be out walking around," said Bourgeois.

Mark Blandford, the third person charged in this case, was also in court Monday. He pled guilty to manslaughter in the second degree.

Thomas Clayton was found guilty of first- and second-degree murder on Thursday. The prosecutor says he will be asking for the max penalty for Clayton as well.

Both Clayton and Blandford will be sentenced in late April.