A Salem man who was convicted of a 2023 murder in Lisbon has learned his fate in court on Friday.

Thirty-two-year-old Michael Blower was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison on a charge of unclassified murder with firearm specifications for the murder of 40-year-old Rusty Steele back in March of 2023. He must also register as a violent offender.

Prosecutors and members of Steele's family including his mother Bonnie Bowersock called upon Judge Megan Bickerton to give a sentence of life without parole for the crime.

"[Steele] was loved by so many people. His daughters [are] going to grow up without a dad. They won't have anybody to walk them down the aisle or spoil their grandkids because of the injustice that was done to him," Bowersock said.  

However, Blower will have his first chance of parole after 18 years. Members of Steele's family told 21 News that sentence was not enough.

"There is a possibility for parole. Your actions don't deserve it. That's not up to me though," Judge Bickerton said.

According to an affidavit, Blower and Steele were arguing over the phone before the murder. From there, Blower got a gun from his wife and had his friend Christopher Mills drive him to Lisbon where he fatally shot Steele in the chest.

Earlier in March, Mills was handed an indefinite sentence of 13 to 18 years in prison for his role in the crime. At that sentencing hearing, Bowersock told 21 News she wasn't satisfied with that sentence either.

"I want to see him locked up. I want this to be over with so I don't have to come back here anymore and ever have to deal with it. I don't think its enough time," Bowersock said.

Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham previously told 21 News both Steele and Blower had a relationship with the same woman at different points in their lives.

Judge Bickerton grilled Blower for his actions calling him a "coward" and telling him this was not just a spur of the moment decision, but a decision he had time to make, describing his crimes as "cold calculated murder."

"I don't care that you didn't have a [criminal] record. Because you know what's scary, is that we think that with criminal records we can somehow determine what people are going to do and how people are going to behave. And then there are cold blooded killers out there unbeknownst to people in our community, and Mr. Blower, you fall into that category," Judge Bickerton said.