NZ wife-killer faces 21 years in US jail

Blazej Kot (right) faces 21 years in jail after killing his wife, 28-year-old Caroline Coffey, pictured here at their wedding. Photo / Supplied

A New Zealand scholar who slashed his new bride to death before setting their apartment alight will spend at least 21 years behind bars with some of America's roughest criminals before he can come home.

Yesterday Auckland-raised Blazej Kot, 25, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison - the maximum term - for the murder of Caroline Coffey, 28, near their New York home a year ago. The term was concurrent, including charges of arson and tampering with evidence.

His lawyer Joe Joch told the Herald Kot was legally required to serve six sevenths of the term before he could be deported.

"The case will certainly be appealed," he said. "But assuming there wouldn't be a successful appeal then he has to serve the minimum end of his sentence before he's deported."

On June 2, after an 8km pursuit, police found the Auckland University student turned Ivy League scholar in his car in the Taghannock Falls State Park, clutching a knife and with a life-threatening wound to the throat. They then found the couple's home ablaze and later Ms Coffey's bloodied body, on a nature trail 400m away.

Shackled hand and foot, Kot yesterday addressed the Tompkins County Court in a strained, raspy voice.

His former wife's ashes lay in a simple green casket nearby.

Lawyer Joe Joch said he had damaged vocal chords because "he cut his throat so deeply he severed some nerves" when he tried to kill himself.

Kot said he missed Dr Coffey daily.

"I still cannot understand what came over me. We had so much in common, and we had a wonderful future planned together," he said.

Judge John Rowley said the brutality of the death and the innocence of the victim were "just hard to accept".

"The facts are just so disturbing, the images so powerful, the reality so harsh," he said. "I'm, of course, affected like everyone else is. I'm not to be over-ruled by that."

Dr Coffey's father Michael Coffey said he brought his daughter's casket in purposely.

"Today it's about Caroline. We thought it would be appropriate for this convicted murderer to see what is left of his beautiful wife," he said.

Mr Joch did not believe Kot's parents Barbara and Leszek Kot had flown out from their east Auckland home for the sentencing, although they attended the trial.

He said Kot would serve two weeks in the Elmira Correctional Facility before a permanent jail was assigned.

Kot had frequently spoken of the "futility" of life, Mr Joch said.

"He's not going to do well with the prison population, because he's about to meet a class of person that he doesn't even dream of knowing," he said.