Leavenworth ? A Lansing man convicted of killing his estranged wife was sentenced to life in prison Friday.

Gary Hicks, 37, pleaded guilty in May to first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping in the April 2004 death of his wife, Patricia Kruse Hicks, 37. Authorities found her battered body in a Leavenworth County pond two days after she was dragged from her Olathe home in front of her terrified children.

Those children, a 7-year-old and 9-year-old twins, didn’t attend their father’s sentencing but sent letters to “Gary” making their thoughts plain.

“You are pure evil – one of the devil’s own,” said one of the letters read by their aunt Mary Rhodes.

Several of Patricia Kruse Hicks’ relatives spoke at the hearing, venting their anger and promising to speak to future parole boards to make sure he stays behind bars.

“We will be your worst enemy,” said Michael Kruse, Patricia’s brother.

While many people in the courtroom sobbed and expressed anger toward Hicks, some of his supporters shouted obscenities at the Kruse family and were escorted out of the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies.

Hicks, who stood for most of the hearing with his head held high, shaking his head at many of his in-laws’ comments and even laughing when the children’s letters were read, expressed remorse.

“I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done…I know I will never be forgiven,” he said, even quoting a Psalm to describe his pain. He also apologized to his children.

“I’m so sorry this has happened. I love you,” he said.

That did little to temper the anger of Kruse Hicks’ family, who spoke of a man who often beat his wife, often came home drunk and once pawned his wife’s wedding ring for drugs.

His threats had led his wife to seek a temporary court order for protection from stalking and, in court records, to write: “I have to literally barricade the doors and have people stay with me. I don’t know what he is capable of, especially when he drinks.”

The couple’s children said Hicks busted down the door of their house and dragged their mother out as she screamed and begged for her life. The next morning, the children went to a neighbor, leading to a widespread search for Kruse Hicks.