Michael Traynor's family held up his photo in silent tribute as the young man's convicted killer was sentenced to eight a half years in prison in a packed Barrie courtroom.
"It's 34 years and it still hurts," said Traynor's cousin Denis Rawn. "Mike was a good guy and he didn't deserve this."
A judge handed Donald Fendhoff, 58, six and a half years for manslaughter, 18 months for interfering with a dead body and 6 months for possessing thousands of images and videos of child pornography — all to be served consecutively.
Traynor, 26, was shot to death in a 1978 murder that baffled police for decades and was staged to make detectives mistakenly believe it was an organized crime hit.
He was remembered Thursday by relatives as a young plumber and married father-to-be who had just bought a home.
Originally charged with murder, Feldhoff pleaded guilty in May to manslaughter.
"I think he got a slap on the wrist. I believe he should've got more time," said tearful sister-in-law Gail Traynor.
"There was no justice at all involved in that for my cousin," said Tammy Abbott. "It's a very sad situation. His word against his and no justice was found today at all."
The murder mystery was finally solved in 2012 when Feldhoff, after having an argument with his father, walked into a Barrie Police station and confessed to killing Traynor on Sept. 13, 1978.
Feldhoff was 20 years old when he said a drunken Traynor broke into his rooming house in the middle of the night while Feldhoff was in bed.
Traynor refused to leave so Feldhoff said he got a shotgun and fired after Traynor rushed at him in the kitchen.
Court heard Feldhoff then called his father, who hatched a plan for them to make it look like a gang-related killing by tying the body with copper wire.
Father and son then dumped Traynor's body in a ditch in a wooded area north of the city.
They kept the dark secret to themselves for decades — William Feldhoff, now 80, says he never even told his wife.
The elderly Feldhoff was sentenced to 20 months in jail for helping dispose of Traynor's body and four and a half years for weapons offences after police found booby traps, homemade explosives and guns stored throughout his home.
That discovery forced the evacuation of the entire north-end street and many of those neighbours also showed up to witness the sentencing Thursday.
Now out on parole after being freed in January, William Feldhoff was at court but said police asked him to leave the crowded room to make space for Traynor's relatives.
Outside court, the senior said covering up the crime was wrong.
"But he's my son. He asked me for help. I helped him . . . I understand it was wrong but what was I supposed to do? You're in a panic. My 20-year old son needs help."
The convicted killer was also disappointed with not only the length of the sentence but the fact it will be penitentiary time, according to his lawyer Gregory Leslie.
"I was really hoping for time served, if not a six-month conditional sentence," Leslie said outside court. "We'll decide whether or not we'll appeal it."
Leslie speculated that if a trial with the same circumstances was held in the U.S., Feldhoff would've won and be a free man.
"Mr. Feldhoff was not out there looking for trouble. He was sleeping in his bed when the incident occurred and to get six and half years for that, in my opinion, is high."
With credit for four years of pre-sentence custody, Feldhoff has 27 months left to serve in jail.
Court heard that Traynor's mother died without ever knowing who was responsible for his death.
His family lived in fear for decades and Justice Michelle Fuerst said there is "deep anguish they are now re-living."
