Gufunes case: Harshest sentences 17 years
Stefán Blackburn and Lúkas Geir Ingvarsson were each sentenced to 17 years in prison, while Matthías Björn Erlingsson received a 14-year sentence.
Heavy sentences were handed down today in the Gufunes case by the South Iceland District Court.
Stefán Blackburn and Lúkas Geir Ingvarsson each received 17-year prison sentences, while Matthías Björn Erlingsson was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
A woman who had been charged in the case was acquitted. A fourth man was convicted, but his sentence was suspended on the condition that he does not reoffend within two years.
Brutal kidnapping and murder
Blackburn, Ingvarsson, and Erlingsson were charged with murder, unlawful confinement, and robbery for their roles in the killing of Hjörleifur Haukur Guðmundsson on March 11.
The fourth man faced charges of money laundering, while the woman had been accused of being an accessory to the confinement and robbery.
According to the indictment, on the evening of March 10, a young woman, not yet twenty, lured Hjörleifur into a car outside his home in Þorlákshöfn. Waiting for him were Stefán and Lúkas, and the violence reportedly began as soon as he entered the vehicle.
Inside the car, Hjörleifur was beaten so severely that he lost five teeth. The attackers were attempting to force him to reveal access codes to his online banking account.
Erlingsson later met Blackburn and Ingvarsson near the Hellisheiði power plant, where Hjörleifur — now with a bag over his head for more than 20 minutes — was transferred to Erlingsson's vehicle.
From there, he was taken to an industrial building in Kjalarnes, where the torture continued.
The indictment states that Hjörleifur was repeatedly kicked and beaten, with blows targeting his head, torso, arms, and knees, ultimately leading to his death.
