An Islip man convicted of murdering his high school friend was sentenced Monday to the maximum 25 years to life in prison.

Thomas Liming was convicted of murder in the November 2011 death of 18-year-old Kyle Underhill. As News 12 has reported, Liming bludgeoned and strangled Underhill, stuffed sticks down his throat and then buried him alive under mud and a piece of plywood in an Islip creek. Underhill's body was found three days later.

The judge on Monday called it a "ferocious act of violence."

Liming briefly addressed the court prior to sentencing, saying that he was sorry for what happened. "Sorry I took their son, sorry everything happened the way it did," he said.

His defense attorney had argued that Liming killed Underhill in self-defense, but never said what the fight was about. The jury rejected that argument when convicting him of murder.

Both Liming's father and twin sister have been charged in connection with the case for allegedly lying to the grand jury. Prosecutors have said Liming's family intentionally tried to cover up the murder.