Man Who Killed Wife, Burned Her Body Gets Life Sentence

A Hillsborough County man was sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife -- and then sentenced to an additional 30 years for burning her body.

A judge sentenced 46-year-old Christopher Belcher on Wednesday after having been found guilty on Friday of second-degree murder and arson in the death of his wife three years ago.

Gwendolyn Belcher's charred remains were found inside her burned Nissan in Thonotosassa on Sept. 16, 2012, a day after the couple's 12-year-old daughter, says she witnessed her father beating Gwendolyn Belcher in their Seffner home.

While sentencing the defendant, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco said she was struck by the callousness of Christopher Belcher following his wife's death. The morning after the victim disappeared, the defendant was mowing his lawn.