BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A Buffalo man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years to life in prison for killing a family friend in March and setting his South Buffalo house on fire.
Before the sentence, David Meyers, 19, apologized in state Supreme Court.
“If it was possible in reality that I could go back, make up for what I did, I would. I would give an arm and a leg, but I can't and I do deserve to be incarcerated,” said Meyers.
In October, Meyers pleaded guilty to murder and arson in the killing of Brian Dombek. Meyers admitted that he beat Dombek, 52, to death. Prosecutors said Meyers then set Dombek's house on fire. The bodies of Dombek and his dog were found inside.
Meyers' lawyer said the men were family friends, drinking together when a fight broke out over religion that day.
"There was some words exchanged, there were some allegations that the deceased gentleman made some disparaging comments about Jewish people as well as others, and my client is Jewish, and asked him to stop those remarks, his grandfather had been in the camps, and it just kept escalating, unfortunately,” said Nicholas Hicks, Meyers' attorney.
The families from both sides were seen leaving through separate doors, as those emotions still were running high after the sentencing.