Advertisement Man sentenced to prison for shooting wife Joseph Lawrence begs for forgiveness during sentencing Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A Merrimack man who killed his wife was sentenced to decades in prison Thursday.Click to watch News 9's coverage.Joseph Lawrence, 63, admitted killing his wife, but he testified that he still loves her.Prosecutors said the case was about domestic violence, and they asked for a sentence that they hoped would send a message."I snapped," Lawrence said. "I went into a rage."Lawrence tried to describe his feelings at the moment he shot and killed his wife of 44 years. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Darlene Lawrence.At the sentencing hearing Thursday, he spoke about how he has destroyed himself and everyone around him."I feel terrible," he said. "I feel tormented. Haunted. That's all I think about all day, is my family."Lawrence said he lost control when he learned that his wife was having an affair. He begged forgiveness and told the court and his family that he takes responsibility for the murder.But prosecutors pointed out that Lawrence lied several times to police, saying the shooting was an accident while the couple struggled over a gun. They said it was an attempt to hide the real motive: that if he couldn't have his wife, nobody would."The end of the barrel of the gun was a few inches to a fraction of an inch away from Darlene when it fired," Assistant Attorney General Jay McCormack said. "That is more consistent with an execution."The judge sentenced Lawrence to 22 years in prison, slightly less than what the prosecution asked for."Darlene Lawrence's life was worth far more than anything I can levy against you, Mr. Lawrence, and you will forever have to pay the price for taking it," Judge Jacalyn Colburn said.Friends and family of the victim had no comment after the hearing.