MOUNT VERNON — A judge sentenced a 24-year-old Sedro-Woolley man to 34 years in prison Friday, calling him a “commercial for how you shouldn’t live your life.”

“For a 24-year-old man, this criminal record could be the biggest one I’ve ever seen,” said Skagit County Superior Court Judge John Meyer, who has been on the bench for 15 years.

Meyer sentenced Ricardo Mejia-Cruz to the top of his range for the murder of 84-year-old Clara Thorp.

Mejia invaded Thorp’s Burlington home as he fled police in September 2007. He caused her to fall and break her hip, and she died months later of complications from her injuries.

Mejia had pleaded guilty in March to seven felonies, including burglary and second-degree murder.

He has been in and out of jail regularly since his teen years and already had 10 felonies prior to these latest.

Before he was sentenced, Mejia stood up in court to apologize for his life of crime, drugs and gang banging.

“I know I’m a monster, I know you guys hate me,” he told Thorp’s family. “I hate myself for the things I’ve done.”

Thorp’s son, granddaughter and great-grandson were in the courtroom for the sentencing. A statement from her children was read in court and included that the victim’s family had “watched her go through so much pain she didn’t deserve.”