Two men could be out of jail in as little as seven years after shooting dead another man during a bungled home invasion.
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Amanda Fox described the killing as a very serious example of manslaughter as she sentenced Mason Matticoli, 25, and Tyler Van De Steeg, 30, on Friday.
Jackson Gilmour, 29, was shot dead in the early hours of December 2, 2024, when Matticoli, Van De Steeg and Charli Hayter broke into his home at Rye, southeast of Melbourne.
Ms Hayter had earlier contacted Mr Gilmour to seek drugs, but he and his partner were asleep when the trio smashed a window and barged into his house about 4am.
Mr Gilmour jumped out of bed and there was shouting before he was shot dead by either Van De Steeg or Matticoli.
Ms Hayter also suffered a fatal gunshot wound, although no one has been charged over her death.
Van De Steeg and Matticoli fled the scene in a stolen car, which was later set on fire by Jarod Smit, 26.
Smit pleaded guilty to a single charge of arson, while Van De Steeg and Matticoli pleaded guilty to manslaughter after originally being charged with murder.
Justice Fox could not determine who fired the fatal shot but she said it was clear Matticoli and Van De Steeg had been acting as a team.
"You violently forced entry into the premises knowing or anticipating there were people inside," the judge said.
"Mr Gilmour was outnumbered, he was in his own home, it was dark and the attack was unexpected."
Justice Fox said while the pair did not intend to kill Mr Gilmour, they were guilty of manslaughter because a confrontation with a loaded firearm was unlawful and dangerous.
She accepted Matticoli and Van De Steeg had shown some remorse through their guilty pleas and their prospects of rehabilitation were promising if they could remain abstinent from drugs.
The judge determined both men were equally morally culpable for the manslaughter so it was important they received the same prison sentence.
Matticoli and Van De Steeg were both jailed for 10 years but they will be eligible for parole after seven years.
Smit was sentenced to the 10 months in jail he had already served, so he will not need to spend any further time behind bars.
Some of Mr Gilmour's family and friends were in court on Friday, although his mother and brother were not there.
At the plea hearing in June, Mr Gilmour's mother Kim Male told her son's killers she hoped they could use their time in prison to help other men make better choices.
She also indicated she forgave them for taking her son away.
