A Glendora man was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for shooting to death a good Samaritan during a confrontation with a suspected car burglar in Covina four years ago.

“I just would like to apologize to the friends and family of the person I killed — Joey Casias,” Trevor Thompson said during his sentencing at Pomona Superior Court.

On Dec. 20, a jury convicted Thompson of first-degree murder, two counts of assault with a firearm, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In addition to life without parole, Judge Victor Martinez on Thursday also sentenced Thompson to 25 years to life plus 24 years.

“I feel justice was served,” Covina police Detective Oswaldo Preciado said. “He got life in prison without parole. He is a danger to the community.”

Casias’ mother, Lydia Casias, and his widow, Veronica DaSilva, addressed the court before the sentencing.

“I miss him so much,” Lydia Casias said. “He cared about people no matter what age. He was such a kind and compassionate person.”

Casias was an amazing father, a baseball coach and involved in the community, a school and the Neighborhood Watch program, said a crying DaSilva.

After holiday shopping with his family that night, Casias, 38, the father of three, decided to accompany a neighbor, Matthew Nanos, and his friend, Jason Mares, both 17, to look for a suspected car burglar on Dec. 21, 2021.

Nanos had seen Thompson rummaging inside someone’s BMW parked outside Nanos’ home in the 1100 block of North Charter Drive.

Casias told his wife he was going to help out, and the trio ended up at a condo complex in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard.

Jason Mares testified he turned a corner in the complex and saw Thompson in a fighter’s stance. He asked Thompson if he was really going to assault a minor and was told, “I don’t care.”

Thompson swung at Mares, who ducked and hit him in the face. Mares at one point got him in a headlock. When Thompson bit his right thumb, Casias kneed him, Mares said.

Mares heard a shot seconds later, ran and heard three more shots.

Casias was shot in the back and the bullet strikes in the trees indicated Thompson was chasing after him, Preciado said.

The defense, during opening statements, said the shooting was in self-defense. Thompson’s attorney, Anthony Cavalluzzi, said the case was about three individuals who decided to take the law into their hands.

Thompson was kneed in the face while being beaten, he said.

“This is what’s happening to my client when he pulled the gun,” Cavalluzi said.

But the jury disagreed with the self-defense claim.