HICKORY, N.C.,None — Ryan Rendleman showed no emotion when he was told he was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Christy Whitmore and would spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole. He stared straight ahead, barely blinking as his sentence was read, only three hours and 45 minutes after the jury began deliberating.
Whitmore's mother, Carlotta Huff, began crying as soon as the clerk said the words "first-degree." The jury could have found him guilty of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or not guilty, instead.
Rendleman, 40, lived with his longtime girlfriend, Whitmore. She was found dead in the home they shared with her son on March 22, 2010.
In court Wednesday afternoon, Whitmore's 14-year-old son said not a moment goes by that he does not think of his mother.
"Imagine the pain I feel every waking moment of never seeing her alive," he told Rendleman. "I look in the mirror and all I see is my mother's face. Sometimes I forget she has passed."
He said Whitmore was a kind, caring mother. He sees his grandparents, who take care of him now, cry every day over their own loss of their daughter.
"I love my mother with all my heart," he said.
His statement was enough to reduce his grandfather, who had remained strong through much of the trial, to tears.
Huff also spoke to Rendleman.
"Not a day goes by that I don't think of her," she said. "I see her when I look at (Whitmore's son). I see her when I pass grocery stores, Christmas stores, when I eat at night."
Huff said something to Rendleman's family, as well.
"I had hard feelings at first, but I understand (you) had no bearing on this," she said. "I hope (you) handle this better than we are."
Rendleman did not look at Huff or Whitmore's son when they spoke to him. Despite this, Huff said she feels better, knowing she got to speak to Rendleman, and she said she thought he listened to her.
Rendleman's defense attorney, Andrew Jennings, said he will file a notice of appeal.
Despite the trial and sentence, Huff said Rendleman's murder of Whitmore still leaves her baffled.
"I'll never understand how someone can treat you that good for eight years, and do that to you," Huff said.
Prosecutors say Whitmore was killed on March 20, 2010. They said Rendleman choked her until she was unconscious, then bound her wrists and ankles in duct tape, put duct tape over her mouth and nose, placed two bags over her head and stabbed her in the upper chest. The state's chief medical examiner said Whitmore died from asphyxia and the stab wound.
Jennings said Rendleman and Whitmore had a fight on March 20, with Whitmore calling him names and spitting in his face. Jennings said Whitmore threatened Rendleman with a revolver, and Rendleman choked her. The pathologist who testified on their behalf said she died from that.
Juror Richard Burgin said there were some key pieces of testimony that swayed his mind.
"There were a lot of questions about the inconsistencies with the gun," he said.
Burgin said Rendleman's videotaped confession to two investigators at the Catawba County Sheriff's Office was also compelling evidence. In the confession, Rendleman admitted to much of what he did to Whitmore.
"If he had stopped with strangulation, it wouldn't have been first-degree," Burgin said, adding that he thought Rendleman went too far.
Huff said she is relieved the trial is over. She said much of what was said by the defense was untrue.
"Christy was scared of guns," Huff said.
Whitmore's son was given a shotgun from his grandfather as a gift. Huff said the only way Whitmore would let him bring it home was if there was a lock on its bag.
Huff also denied that Whitmore would spit in Rendleman's face.
"Christy's not that type of person," Huff said. "If (her son) spit on the ground, she would tell him to go to the bathroom to do that."
Huff praised the district attorney's office and sheriff's office for the work they did, and said she's grateful. She said now that the trial is over, she plans to volunteer more at the domestic violence center, and will donate some of Whitmore's items to its thrift store.
"Christy wouldn't want us to quit living," she said.