Las Cruces man sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his girlfriend to death

On Monday a judge sentenced Corey Franklin to life in prison, for stabbing his girlfriend to death.

That means the 25-year-old Las Crucen must serve 30 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom was inside the courtroom. Franklin stood calmly before Judge Fernando Macias as he received his life sentence.

Friends and family wearing “in support of gracie” shirts, sobbed.

As we’ve reported, Franklin pleaded guilty Fridayto first degree murder. He stabbed his girlfriend, Graciela Herndandez to death at the couple’s home in 2014. Police reports say he stabbed Hernandez 11 times and beat her with a pot before going to buy beer.

Franklin chose not to speak before his sentencing.

“I think that he’s very sensitive to offending any of the family that was in courttodayand I think he just didn’t feel comfortable saying anything at this time,” Defense Attorney Ryan Byrd said.

“Justice has been served for her,” Herndanez’s aunt, Amanda Hernandez said. “Of course that’s not going to bring her back, it’s not going to. But it at least gives us that comfort that we can deal, cope with it.”

Franklin was also ordered to pay restitution that covers the cost of family counseling, clean up of the murder scene and the burial plot.