A 34-year-old man, who fled the state earlier this year before being charged with murdering a homeless man in Kailua two years ago, was sentenced today to life with the possibility of parole.

Robert Ryan Roediger-Geauque was convicted by a jury in August for stabbing and killing Scott MacMillan on Jan. 13, 2014, five days after his 37th birthday, in the stairwell of an Uluniu Street building during a dispute over a sleeping space. MacMillan had been stabbed more than 20 times.

Deputy Prosecuting Atty. Wayne Tashima said it will be up to the parole board to set Roediger-Geauque’s minimum sentence.

The victim’s mother, Donna MacMillan, told Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree before sentencing that “the empty space always will be there since Scott left us … our family is no longer whole.”

Shawn Macmillan told the court that he “not only lost a brother, but one of my closest friends.

“My son will never see his uncle again,” said Shawn Macmillan as he broke down in tears, adding that “towards the end of his life he had some hard times, but he didn’t deserve what happened to him.”

In his statement, Tashima said that although Roediger-Geauque never admitted to killing Macmillan, he did say in a pre-sentencing report that he was “remorseful,” which Tashima said should be treated as an admission.

Tashima said that Roediger-Geauque had been sentenced in 2014 to 120 days after he was convicted of fourth-degree sex assault.

Roediger-Geauque only told the family that he “was sorry for their loss. I am right with God and trying to make myself a better man.”

Eve Mann, Roediger-Geauque’s grandmother, tried to tell Crabtree that defense attorney Arthur Indiola did not present all the facts in the case.

“Ryan has been framed,” Mann told Crabtree. “Ryan you have to stand up for yourself.”

However, Crabtree called for a recess while Mann kept talking, saying that “he (Indiola) sabotaged the whole trial.”

Following the recess, Crabtree reminded Mann that the court proceeding was to set a sentence and “not to re-litigate the trial.”

Crabtree said Roediger-Geauque has a right to appeal.

At that point, Mann walked out of the courtroom, saying that her grandson has the “mentality of a 12-year-old.”

A jury deliberated for barely two hours on Aug. 4 before finding Roediger-Geauque guilty of murder.

Prosecutors said McMillan, 37, had permission to use the covered space and refused to share it with Roediger-Geauque on a night when rain made it uncomfortable to sleep in the open.

Roediger-Geauque left the islands before being charged with murder.

He was extradited to Hawaii on April 5 after his arrest in Santa Barbara, Calif., on March 6.

Another hearing will be held next month to determine extradition and restitution costs.

Macmillan, a Kalaheo High School graduate, was the former chef at Lucy’s Grill & Bar and Island Fusion.

The medical examiner said Macmillan died of multiple stab wounds.