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‘He is a ruthless predator': Family mourns Berit Beck at killer's sentencing

Posted at 10:59 PM, Mar 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-02 22:35:02-05

The man sentenced for Berit Beck's murder may not spend the rest of his life in prison but Dennis Brantner will be thinking about it. 

TODAY’S TMJ4 was in the Fond du Lac courtroom when Beck's family shared their pain with a killer who broke their hearts.

“No one should have to go through the drama of burying their 18-year-old daughter,” said David Beck, Berit's father

In a courtroom packed with family and friends wearing Berit Beck's favorite color red, heavy hearts for Dave and Diane Beck.

“I'm thankful of the 18 years I had with her and often find myself thinking about what she would have become. A wife, a mother and probably a musician,” said Diane Beck.

Beri's picture sat front and center in the courtroom for everyone to see - including her convicted killer.   

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/he-is-a-ruthless-predator-family-mourns-berit-beck-at-killers-sentencing

“All he has left is a haunting guilty conscience because he is a ruthless predator,” said David Beck.

The aspiring musician left her Racine County home in July of 1990 in the family van. The 18-year-old was on her way to a training seminar in Appleton but never made it.

She left behind a younger brother Ben and countless others to wonder what kind of life Beri would have lived.

“Would she have children, would I have been an uncle? All these questions will forever be unanswered because of one evil man,” said Ben Beck.

No words to heal, only hope that justice will be served. 

“A fair punishment in my estimation would be at least 27 and half years without parole because that's how long we have been without Beri,” said Diane Beck.

The 64-year-old Brantner was sentenced to the maximum 10 years for second-degree reckless homicide. Brantner agreed to an Alford plea which allowed him to maintain innocence while admitting there's enough evidence to convict him.