A Boardman man has been sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for the murder of his 74-year-old father, Michael Bruno Sr, back in September, 2022.

With her hands shaking and voice trembling, the victims sister addressed the court and delivered a powerful message to her nephew. 

"You crept into my sleeping brother’s bedroom and standing just inches away from a sleeping man, you aimed that gun and you pulled that trigger 11 times," Judith McCauley said. "It would have taken but one bullet to kill him but all of your pent-up greed and anger and hatred and whatever else was on your mind compelled you to keep pulling that trigger tearing his body apart? Did he look at you through his sleepy eyes in horror begging you with his hands up to please stop? It would take a monster to commit such a horrible act on his very own father."

Bruno was a former Mahoning County Sheriff's Deputy from 2000 through 2006. 

In September 17, 2022, Boardman Police were called to Bruno's Lealand Avenue home around 7:30 a.m. and found Bruno Sr., who had been shot several times.
 

The victim's son was outside the home and surrendered to police. According to the Mahoning County Sheriff, Bruno became a deputy under Sheriff Wellington in 2000 and left the department in 2006.

At the time, Bruno told police he believed he had COVID-19 which influenced his actions. The report details that several shell casings were located inside the family home. 
 
The sentence comes after Bruno Jr. pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Thursday. McCauley said she only accepted the deal because she couldn't handle it any longer. 
 

"It brings me satisfaction and peace knowing you will be going to prison know, locked in a cage as you deserve," McCauley said. "Life as you know it is over, now your life begins and it will be a living hell."

Before being led away, Bruno apologized. 

"I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart to my Aunt Judith McCauley, also to my family and friends that I made a horrible mistake. If I could rewind the hands of time, I would have done things differently. More than anything, I want to say I am sorry to my father."

Bruno was initially deemed incompetant to stand trial, but that was later reversed.