Murderer sentenced to at least 24 years after setting victim on fire
Alessandro Cavuoto was found guilty of murdering his housemate Todd Bradmore by setting him on fire in 2021. (Supplied: Facebook)
In short:
Alessandro Giovanni Cavuoto has been given a life sentence for murdering his housemate Todd Bradmore in March 2021.
In sentencing, Justice Adam Kimber said Mr Bradmore suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body before dying two days later.
What's next?
Cavuoto will be eligible for parole in 2045.
An Adelaide man has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 24 years, after he was found guilty of murdering his friend and housemate by setting him on fire in 2021.
Warning: This story contains content which some readers may find distressing.
Alessandro Giovanni Cavuoto, 37, was sentenced in South Australia's Supreme Court on Friday after he set alight his housemate Todd Bradmore in the early hours of March 17, at their Woodville West home.
Mr Bradmore was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries two days later.
Todd Bradmore was killed in March 2021.
"Mr Bradmore was set alight, suffering burns to about 80 per cent of his body, and having been placed in an induced coma, passed away on 19 March 2021," Justice Adam Kimber said in sentencing on Friday.
"It is difficult to overstate the pain and trauma suffered by Mr Bradmore before he was placed in a coma.
"It might also be difficult to overstate the distress caused to those close to Mr Bradmore who saw him at the scene or in hospital."
Cavuoto was also found not guilty of two aggravated counts of creating likelihood of serious harm to two other people who were present at the home.
The court heard there had been a blackout at their home when Cavuoto approached Mr Bradmore with two-stroke fuel.
It heard Mr Bradmore, who was holding a candle, was subsequently set alight.
"You immediately left the house. You never returned, you did not try to help Mr Bradmore," Justice Kimber said in sentencing.
"You did not contact any emergency service … further, a few hours later you decided to leave the state.
"In short, having thrown the petrol at Mr Bradmore, you preferred your own interests to the welfare of Mr Bradmore."
Alessandro Cavuoto was extradited to Adelaide after he fled to New South Wales. (ABC News: Claire Campbell)
The court previously heard Cavuoto fled the state and was later arrested in New South Wales, following a car chase with police.
Justice Kimber said, at the time of his death, Mr Bradmore had "his life ahead of him".
"The death of Mr Bradmore has had a lasting impact on his parents, his sister and the two young women who were in the house," he said.
"In short, you changed lives forever."
The court previously heard victim impact statements from the family and friends of Mr Bradmore who described the 31-year-old as "an amazing person, a good friend and a loving partner".
The SA Supreme Court heard Alessandro Cavuoto did not call emergency services. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
It heard victim impact statements from the two people who witnessed the crime — one of whom was Mr Bradmore's partner Aisha Bistrovic.
"Unlike you, they had to confront the sight and sound of Mr Bradmore while he was burning and suffering," Justice Kimber said on Friday.
The court previously heard Cavuoto did not accept the guilty verdict.
Cavuoto was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 24 years.
The sentence was backdated to when Cavuoto was taken into custody on March 26, 2021. He will be eligible for parole in 2045.