Burlington murder draws 18-year sentence

A 3-year-old murder case has concluded with the Burlington man accused of stabbing Ralph Bell to death being sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Daniel Whalon, 29, held back tears Thursday as Judge Samuel Hoar ordered that Whalon also spend a minimum of seven years on probation after leaving prison. Upon his release, Whalon will undergo mental health, drug and alcohol counseling, and he will be subject to GPS monitoring and a curfew, among other conditions. His probation officer will also be able to restrict his friends, Hoar said.

Whalon pleaded guilty in April to the July 2011 stabbing of his neighbor Bell, 54, near a railroad bridge, known as the Blue Bridge, between Winooski and Burlington.

Friends and family members filled two rows in the courtroom behind the prosecution table during Thursday's continuation of Whalon's sentencing in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington.

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Bell's mother, Maggie Bell, and sister, Robin Burritt, expressed their hopes for closure before Hoar delivered Whalon's sentence. Burritt spoke directly to Whalon, saying she hoped Whalon would be haunted by what he did to her brother.

"You took a wonderful man from this Earth," Burritt said, her voice breaking. "I hope you go to hell. You did this awful thing to our family."

Through tears, Whalon later apologized to the Bell family, saying "I accept responsibility and am willing to do my time."

Before delivering Whalon's sentence, Judge Hoar acknowledged that Whalon had endured a difficult childhood, which included a sexual assault at age 4 and being in the custody of the Department for Children and Families until age 18. This information was revealed Thursday through the testimony of Dr. Thomas Powell, a forensic psychologist who had examined Whalon.

Hoar said that although these experiences might partially explain why the murder occurred, they do not excuse the act of violence.

Despite Whalon's apology, Hoar said he does not think Whalon has come to terms with his actions in 2011. Hoar also said the lack of defensive injuries on both Whalon and Bell suggests the murder was "a deliberate act, and the intent to cause harm was obvious and very severe."

"It's my hope that these will help you come to terms with what you've done, become a better person, emerge and live the rest of your life as a better, more productive person," Hoar said of Whalon's sentence and conditions for his eventual release. "I hope that somehow, some way you are able to find ... you can at least quiet the demons I know have plagued you since you were 4 years old."

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