DETROIT -- The sentencing of a convicted accomplice in the slaying and beheading of a River Rouge man Wednesday brought out words of sorrow from parents and angry bewilderment from a Wayne County Circuit judge.

Alexander Letkemann, 18, of Westland, was sentenced to 20-30 years in prison for his role in what prosecutors have labeled the "thrill kill" of Daniel Sorensen, 26.

Letkemann took a plea deal last month and testified against Jean Pierre Orlewicz, who was found guilty of first-degree murder in Sorensen's killing.

During sentencing, Wayne County Circuit Judge Annette Berry called it beyond comprehension that Letkemann knew about the planned killing, helped prepare for it, did nothing to stop it and did not report it after it happened.

"This was a premeditated, calculated act of nothing short of violent, sadistic pleasure," Berry said. "How is it, sir? Help us understand."

Letkemann, answering in a low voice, could only offer that his mind froze. He could not explain it.

His father, Peter Letkemann, expanded on that explanation in an interview afterward.

"All of a sudden, having it unfold in front of him, he froze," Peter Letkemann said. "He did. OK. Should he have done that? No. Could he have done other things? Absolutely. Could he have done things sooner afterwards. Absolutely. And I won't make excuses."

The victim's parents both made statements at the sentencing expressing sorrow.

"My two best friends in life are Jim, my husband, and Dan, my son, and one of them has been taken from me for the rest of my life," said Kim Sorensen, the victim's mother.

"Now, my life has to somehow return to normal," said Jim Sorensen, the victim's father. "But as my wife, Kimberly, stated, normal will never be normal again."

Two others knew about the planned killing of Sorensen and did nothing to stop it. One got immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony.

The judge, however, said they all should have been charged.

Letkemann detailed on the stand last week how Orlewicz lured Sorensen to his grandfather’s garage in Canton Township where he stabbed, beheaded and later burned Sorensen’s remains in an effort to make them unidentifiable.

Orlewicz, of Plymouth, was found guilty in Sorensen's slaying. Orlewicz' conviction carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 12.