HOLLIDAYSBURG - A Cambria County man has been ordered to write about the effects alcohol and drug abuse had on his life so juveniles can learn from his experience.

The experience also led to Shawn Patrick Dugan, 38, of Johnstown to be sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the murder of another Johnstown man at a Blue Knob camp.

Blair County Judge Elizabeth Doyle said she imposed the unusual sentence so that "perhaps some good can come out of the death of Marcus Chromy." Dugan shot Chromy, 39, to death July 5, 2008.

The sentencing was a tearful and sad event for two families - Chromy's family mourning his death, and Dugan's family upset with July's first-degree murder verdict by a Blair County jury.

Dugan's attorney, Kenneth Sottile of Carrolltown, said he will appeal Dugan's conviction because it was against "the weight of the evidence." He said the evidence, at most, supports third-degree murder, which carries only a 20- to 40-year prison sentence.

The trial testimony showed heavy drinking by both men and Dugan's girlfriend, Donna Hawk, 43, while at the camp, Sottile said. Chromy made sexual advances toward Hawk, and Dugan snapped.

Blair County District Attorney Richard A. Consiglio said Chromy died "for absolutely no reason I can fathom at all."

Dugan, a construction worker, said he was "very sorry" for Chromy's murder. He, Hawk and Chromy were all friends and they had gone on outings together on several occasions.

"We always got along good together," he told Doyle.

Dugan apologized several times to Chromy's family and said that not a day goes by where he doesn't think about what happened.

But he said, "I never intended this to happen."

Chromy's family, led by the victim's mother, Eleanor, confirmed that Marcus had an alcohol problem for which he would not seek treatment, but she told Dugan, "He didn't deserve to die at your hands."

She then added, "You brought into our life tears and heartbreak. ... You destroyed so many lives."

"There are two broken-hearted mothers in this courtroom today," said Eleanor Chromy, referring to herself and Dugan's mother, Roseann.

"I forgive you," she said.

Eleanor Chromy showed pictures of her son to Doyle and then gave a copy of a card to Dugan - a keepsake from her son's memorial service, which he accepted.

There were many milepoints in Dugan's life leading to Chromy's death: underage drinking, drug use and thefts to support his habit and time in detox, rehabilitation and prison, Doyle said.

The alcohol on the day of the killing "fueled a rage that made you shoot a man you describe as a friend," Doyle said. "Both families are suffering terrible pain caused by your irresponsible and criminal action."

Doyle, who presides over Blair County's Juvenile Drug Court, ordered Dugan to write the letter "to be used as a cautionary story" for the kids in her court.

In addition to the life sentence for the murder, Doyle imposed an extra three to six years for selling the gun used in the killing and stealing Chromy's car.

After the killing, Dugan and Hawk drove to Pittsburgh where Dugan used crack cocaine and then both checked themselves into the Western Psychiatric Hospital where they were arrested, authorities said.

Hawk already has served 18 months for her part in stealing Chromy's car.

Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.