SAINT-JEROME -- Ugo Fredette was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years after being found guilty on two counts of first degree murder on Saturday.

Fredette was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Veronique Barbe, 41, and Yvon Lacasse, 71.

After the verdict was read Barbe's brother Daniel tearfully thanked the Crown prosecutors and officers from the Ontario Provincial Police, Surete du Quebec and St. Eustache police force for bringing Fredette to justice.

"Now it's time to turn the page. It won't be easy. She was so marvelous. It will take time, but now we can start to turn the page," he said.

Barbe said he didn't want to comment on Fredette's sentence but said he "wishes nothing bad for him. He'll wake up every morning remembering what he did."

During the trial the families of the two victims became close, leaning on each other for support.

"Everybody was there for each other, so it was easier a little," said Barbe. "It was good, it was good."

Lacasse's daughter Jennifer called the verdict "good for our hearts."

"The movie that Mr. Fredette created in his head, the jury didn't believe it," she said.

The trial began late last month with Fredette pleading not guilty to two first-degree murder charges.

Family members burst into tears in the courtroom the second the sentence was rendered. One person started clapping. @CTVMontreal — Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) October 19, 2019

The judge is asking the jury for a recommendation if #Fredette should serve consecutive sentences of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Jury will deliberate but it’s not necessary to render a decision on this- ultimately the sentence is up to judge @CTVMontreal — Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) October 19, 2019

Fredette glanced towards the roughly two dozen friends and family members gathered in the courtroom as he entered, but stared straight ahead as verdict was rendered. @CTVMontreal — Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) October 19, 2019

Judge sentences Ugo Fredette to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 25 years. That is the minimum sentence for first degree murder. No decision on consecutive sentences @CTVMontreal — Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) October 19, 2019

On Sept. 14, 2017, Barbe’s body was found lifeless in the family home. She had been stabbed 17 times.

Fredette went on the run, taking with him a six-year-old child that was in the house at the time.

During the trial, Fredette testified that, on the day she died, the couple had gotten into a fight and Barbe had pushed him down a flight of stairs.

Fredette said he remembers Barbe had a knife and he blocked her, but insisted he doesn’t remember anything that happened after that.

"I just remember her lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor with a knife in her chest," he cried in court.

“The only image I have is Veronique in the kitchen with a knife in her chest. That image haunts me, disgusts me. I loved her.”

The Crown claimed that while he was fleeing Fredette killed Lacasse in order to steal his car.

Daniel Barbe is Veronique’s brother. His family and the Lacasse family spent a lot of time together through this trial, which he says was a huge help to have others understand the pain. @CTVMontreal pic.twitter.com/VmAFSkc0hO — Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) October 19, 2019

During his closing arguments, Fredette’s lawyer, Louis-Alexandre Martin asked jurors to find his client guilty of manslaughter instead of murder.

"He snapped," he said, insisting that his client had no intention of killing anyone.

Fredette was arrested one day after the incident, on Sept. 15, 2017, in Ontario after having travelled through several Quebec cities with the boy.

-- with files from CTV News’ Rob Lurie and The Canadian Press.