Southbury Man Sentenced to 34 Years for Murder of Childhood Friend

‘Mercy’ was a word that was mentioned several times in a courtroom for the sentencing of a Southbury man Friday morning.

Little was shown.

In front of an emotional courtroom filled with family and friends, David Eisenbach, 24, was sentenced to 34 years in prison for the brutal murder of his childhood friend Michael Weaving.

Superior Court Judge Richard Damiani said Eisenbach was a sociopath who showed no mercy for Weaving or his family, so the court will show no mercy for him.

The mother of the victim, Laura Weaving, addressed the court shortly before the sentencing. Fighting back tears, she asked the judge to take no pity on the man who had taken her son’s life some 16 months ago.

“Mr. Eisenbach showed no mercy to my son, so I plead with the court to do the same,” Weaving said. “I’ll never understand why this happened. Every time I start crying, I’m afraid I’ll never stop.”

Eisenbach’s mother was also in attendance, along with several other family members of the defendant.

Public defender Ty Bowden-Lewis asked Damiani for the minimum sentence, citing Eisenbach’s difficult upbringing and troubled psychological past as elements to consider.

Eisenbach pleaded guilty May 11 to the murder of Weaving.

At his plea hearing, Damiani indicated he would likely impose a sentence of between 28 and 34 years. After listening to testimony from the victim’s family and viewing a slide show that was shown by Assistant State's Attorney Amy Sedensky detailing the last few hours of Weaving’s life, Damiani decided on the maximum imprisonment.

Dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit, Eisenbach spoke briefly before learning his fate.

“I had known Mike and Tom [Curley] since I was young,” Eisenbach said in a low voice while looking towards the courtroom floor. “There are no words I can say to these families, my own family. They were good kids and I will miss them too."

An autopsy showed that Weaving had died from blunt force head trauma, although second-degree burns and several cuts and puncture wounds were also found on his body.

Weaving had been killed and buried after a night of drinking and partying with Eisenbach and a third man, Thomas Curley, of Naugatuck, according to court files.

Curley committed suicide shortly before Weaving’s body was discovered. Curley had allegedly participated in Weaving’s murder, according to court files.