He walked free for 10 years after killing a grandma in the bookstore she owned. Now, he'll never walk free again.

It took 10 years to arrest the man who killed a bookstore owner in Utah. It took a judge much less time to sentence him to life behind bars.

Recently, a Utah judge sentenced Adam Durborow to life in prison for the murder of Sherry Black in 2010. He was arrested in 2020 and later pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, according to KSL TV.

Black was a mom, grandmother and owned a bookstore in South Salt Lake, Utah, according to KSL TV. She was killed inside her store —that was also her home — in November 2010 and her husband discovered her dead.

Investigators found fingerprints and palm prints at the scene. They also found blood marks on a belt, according to KSL TV. But investigators were not able to determine a motive and the case went cold.

Durborow was 19 years old at the time of the killing and had a jail sentence for a theft case suspended weeks before the murder.

Police continued to investigate Black’s killing, and the Utah Cold Case Unit eventually took over the case. In 2020, police got DNA from Durborow to compare to the evidence, according to KSL TV. He was then arrested.

Her husband, Earl Black, spoke at a sentencing hearing and described how Black’s death impacted their family, according to the Deseret News.

“For 11 years, I’ve had to live without Sherry. My life will never be the same. She was beautiful and caring as everyone has stated. What a wonderful woman she was. But I don’t have her anymore, instead I have the memory of coming home and finding her … that’s what I have left,” Earl Black said, according to the Desert News

Some of Sherry’s grandchildren also spoke at the hearing and noted how their kids would not be able to spend time with her because of the murder, the Desert News reported.

“We chose to not let evil win. We promised ourselves and our grandma that evil would not win. My grandma’s body was robbed that day, but her goodness, her gentle strength and her desire to do good was ignited in all of us (who) loved her so deeply, and that light will never be dimmed, never,” one said and the newspaper reported.

The Black family released a statement after the sentencing, and it noted that Durborow was a dangerous person and the community was safer with him behind bars.

They added Sherry’s influence can never be taken away and they will always have her positive impact.

“Although he took her life,” the statement read, “he could not take her soul, which lives on and is part of the love, beauty kindness and talents that her husband, daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will carryforward.”