Man gets 15 years in 2007 stabbing death

Roy Bash turned to the family of a friend he stabbed seven times and killed almost eight years ago. Bash spoke quickly Tuesday afternoon in a Burlington courtroom — until he choked up.

“I am truly, truly sorry,” Bash said, adding he has trouble showing emotion. “Scott Gilbeau and I were great friends, and this was something that was not planned. I’ve regretted it since day one. I’m humiliated, ashamed, embarrassed.”

Bash, 28, of Florence, Arizona, was convicted of the 2007 killing of Gilbeau following a trial in April. Tuesday, Judge Michael Kupersmith handed Bash a prison sentence of 15 years to serve. Bash receives credit for the eight years he has served already, making him eligible for release in 2022.

Bash’s lawyers maintained he acted in self defense and that the case was one of manslaughter rather than murder. The defense said he was provoked by Gilbeau during an October 2007 fight at a trailer in a mobile home park on Richmond Road in Hinesburg.

Prosecutors said Gilbeau was killed while defending Bash’s then-girlfriend, Brandi Larock, against a domestic assault.

The case stretched longer than anticipated. Bash struck a plea deal in 2008 and was sentenced to 15-30 years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea to manslaughter. He won a retrial following a post- conviction relief motion. Ultimately, he was found guilty at trial of second-degree murder and also of domestic assault .

“I never wanted it to come this far,” Bash said Tuesday in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington. “That was never my intention.”

EARLIER: Man convicted in 2007 murder case​

During the hearing, Gilbeau’s mother, Linda Gilbeau, told Bash he took something “very precious.”

“Scott is loved and missed by all his family,” Linda Gilbeau said. “There is not one day that goes by he is not thought of and missed. How could you do that to Scott when he helped you more than once? There’s not enough time the court can give you that could be enough. I will never forgive you because of what you took from me and my family.”

Larock said she had difficulty coping with her friend’s death, and she called Bash a “monster” due to what she said was a lack of remorse he showed.

“Roy, you took your anger out on someone who was only trying to help,” Larock said through tears. “That was a friend that we hung out with. ... You took an innocent man’s life, and every time I’ve seen you in court, there’s no remorse. How sick can you be?”

Bash’s aunt Juanita Miller of North Carolina portrayed Bash as a person who had a difficult childhood but has been working to grow since his arrest. She apologized to Gilbeau’s family for her nephew’s actions.

“He was very distraught,” Miller recalled of the few days after Bash’s arrest. “He was crying and saying, ‘I’m so sorry.’ ”

Prosecutor Paul Finnerty told Judge Kupersmith the severity of the case should be considered during sentencing.

Following sentencing, Finnerty said he felt the family was slightly disappointed in the shorter length of the sentence, but relieved the case made it to the sentencing phase.

“Any way you look at it, it was a senseless act,” Finnerty said. “I think they were happy we’ve gotten to this point. It’s been a long and emotional process.”

Bash also was sentenced to spend at least 10 years on probation, and he will have to complete a substance abuse assessment and possible counseling along with mental health and anger management counseling.

Bash’s lawyer Rob Sussman said an appeal of the conviction will be filed within the next few days.

Bash has been held at the Northwest State Correctional Facility without bail since his arrest.

Editor's note - This story was updated to reflect the following: Murder convict Roy Bash won retrial on a motion for post-conviction relief in his case, leading to jury trial this year. A judge also ordered that Bash spend at least 10 years on probation before his release is considered. These facts were incorrectly characterized in an earlier version of the story.

Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.