HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – A Torrington man was sentenced Monday to death by lethal injection for killing a man in exchange for a broken snowmobile as part of a murder-for-hire plot.

Eduardo Santiago Jr., 25, read a prepared statement during the sentencing in Hartford Superior Court, apologizing for his involvement in the December 2000 shooting death of 45-year-old Joseph Niwinski in West Hartford.

“I hope you consider my words,” Santiago said. “Because only through forgiveness can healing start for everybody.”

Santiago has been living on death row for the last five months, since a jury recommended a death sentence in August. He is one of seven men on Connecticut’s death row.

Judge Douglas S. Lavine sentenced Santiago to death and a 45-year prison term on related charges Monday, the same day serial killer Michael Ross’ execution was canceled because of questions about his mental competency. Ross was sentenced to death in 1987.

Adriana Venegas, a victim’s advocate for the state, spoke on behalf of Niwinski’s family during the sentencing. She described Niwinski as a loving family man who enjoyed fishing, cooking, water skiing and racing cars.

“Joe’s life was taken away, for what? A broken-down snowmobile,” Venegas said.

Prosecutors said Santiago was asked to kill Niwinski by Mark Pascual, a 39-year-old Torrington machine shop owner. Authorities said Pascual became infatuated with Niwinski’s girlfriend and hoped he could win her affections by having Niwinski killed.

Pascual testified that he agreed to give Santiago a pink-striped snowmobile with a broken clutch in exchange for killing Niwinski, who was shot in the left temple as he slept in his apartment. Pascual faces 25 to 100 years in prison as part of a deal he made with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty and testify against Santiago and Edwin Snelgrove, accused of an unrelated killing.

Authorities said Santiago was so enthusiastic about the murder-for-hire plot that he made a rifle silencer out of a plastic soda bottle and wrote “Joe,” Niwinski’s nickname, on the gun’s bullets.

Lavine set Santiago’s execution date for July 15, but warned of the “painstakingly” long review that will occur during the automatic appeals process. The judge also said Santiago’s death sentence could be affected if the legislature changes Connecticut’s death penalty law.

“We’re all on a legislative watch to see what the legislature does and to see what happens in Mr. Ross’ case,” said Kevin Randolph, Santiago’s lawyer.

Randolph, who has his own private practice in Hartford, said Santiago plans to appeal, but the state public defenders’ office will handle it. He said Santiago is aware of how the appeals process works.

“His appeal won’t even get a good running start by July 15 and he knows that,” Rudolph said.

Niwinski’s brother, Francis Niwinski Jr., said he believes Santiago thinks he can still avoid the death penalty.

“In his mind, I believe he still thinks that he has a chance to beat the system,” he said.

Before Lavine handed down the death sentence, Randolph described Santiago’s troubled childhood. Randolph said Santiago’s mother and stepfather were abusive, leaving bruises and scratches all over his body, and he was in and out of foster care. His biological father committed suicide on Christmas Eve in 1988, Randolph said.

Francis Niwinski Jr. said he doesn’t believe Santiago showed any real remorse for the killing, and added that Santiago’s upbringing doesn’t give him an excuse for what he did.

“Well, how many millions of people are abused every day?” he said. “Does that give them an excuse to kill somebody that they don’t know?”