A Northland man was stabbed to death by his older brother during an alcohol-fuelled argument two days before he planned to marry his partner.
Corey Heihei's death forced his partner and their two children to live in temporary accommodation as they struggled to pay their bills without an income.
Older brother Jason Heihei, 31, last month tearfully pleaded guilty in the High Court in Whangarei to murdering him and was yesterday sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.
The brothers' argument started after Jason Heihei began berating his mother that Corey Heihei was her favourite son before confronting him.
Justice Graham Lang said Jason Heihei plunged a kitchen knife with an 18cm blade into his brother's back six times with such force that Corey Heihei fell to the ground and began choking on his blood.