MIAMI – A devastated mother came face to face with her son's killer during an emotional day in court.
Amparo Restrepo spoke for more than 45 minutes, angrily and passionately addressing Alejandro Tapia.
"You are a monster, Tapia," she said. "A monster."
Tapia will spend the next 25 years in prison, and ten years on probation, for the 2017 murder of 33-year-old Alex Restrepo.
"It's not fine, but better than nothing," Amparo said.
Restrepo, a popular nuclear engineer, was at a Halloween party in Southwest Miami-Dade County when he and his brother Chris were attacked.
Tapia stabbed Restrepo several times, resulting in his death.
"You had no right to take my son," Amparo said in court. "You could’ve just beaten him up. You had no right."
Loved ones took turns telling Tapia the impact his crime has had on their family.
“You have shattered my life and that of my children,” Amparo said.
Another man, Edwin Rios, took a plea in connection to the murder. As part of his plea deal, Rios was given probation in exchange for information that was used in the case against Tapia.