'Not fooling anyone anymore': Man guilty of Teaneck murder gets life in prison

HACKENSACK - A Manhattan man found guilty in July of killing his estranged wife's lover will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Sui Kam "Tony" Tung was on trial for the second time in the killing of Robert Cantor, his wife's lover, over a decade ago. Tung was found guilty in 2016, but a panel of appellate judges overturned the conviction.

A jury again convicted Tung in July of murder, arson, weapons charges, stalking and desecration of a human body, after a months-long trial.

Bergen County Superior Court Judge Christopher Kazlau on Friday called Tung's actions "pure evil acts."

"You're not fooling anyone anymore," Kazlau said to Tung during the sentencing.

Tung was the only suspect considered in Cantor's death after the victim was found. Police said Cantor was shot in the back of the head on March 6, 2011, placed on a bed in the basement -- where Cantor and Tung's wife Sophie Menuet consummated their relationship for the first time -- doused with grain alcohol and set on fire.

Cantor’s killing occurred three days after Tung’s wife served him with divorce papers, the same day Cantor met Tung’s three children for the first time. Later that night, around 11:30 p.m., Cantor’s neighbors reported seeing flames at the house.

"The last person Mr. Cantor, who was loved by family and friends, saw was unfortunately Mr. Tung," Kazlau said.

Kazlau said Tung will have plenty of time to think if any of his actions were worth it and that he created a hardship for his three daughters.

"What I want you to think about is not only your conduct for the remainder of your life, you can think about if you ever get the opportunity to talk to your children, how someone involved with the PTA, who used to cook for his children and take them to school, would be so consumed by evil that you would do what you have done," Kazlau said. "Because you have destroyed their life and you have destroyed the lives of the family and friends of Mr. Cantor.

"You think that was justified or worth it? Given the fact that you think that you can con everybody and fool everyone else, you're only fooling yourself. Good luck."

Three people gave victim impact statements including Cantor's sister Leslie Padron, his ex-wife Susan Kirschenbaum and friend Ron Schwartz.

Padron said she does not know why Tung thought he could gain from killing her brother, remembering her brother as an "amazing human being." She asked if Tung was such a great person, then why did no one come to support him at either of the trials.

"[Tung] hurt so many people and changed so many lives," she said during the hearing. "[Cantor] was taken away for absolutely nothing and that's so very, very sad."

Kirschenbaum said Cantor's murder is still traumatic for her, the family and their friends.

"Our daughters are happily married but their father was not there to celebrate at their weddings," Kirschenbaum said through tears.

Schwartz said Tung instilled fear in everyone with the way he killed Cantor, saying it seemed to send a message to his friends and family that if anyone tried to hold him accountable for his actions, they could meet the same fate.

He reminisced about the 25 years of friendship he and Cantor had, noting how Cantor enjoyed playing guitar but had a terrible singing voice.

"He not only killed Rob Cantor, he ruined the memories of all the people who love Rob and there were many people who loved Rob," Schwartz said.

The judge said the court wasn't surprised that Tung declined to say anything before he handed down his sentencing because of the "level of deception Tung engaged in throughout the course of his planning," the stalking of Cantor and the ultimate execution of his plan.

"I'm not surprised he has nothing to say here today," Kazlau said. "If you do feel remorse, you're going to have to do it from within the walls of a prison cell."

Assistant prosecutors Joe Torre and David Malfitano said they were pleased about the July verdict and Kazlau's sentence.

"We commend all the hard work and professionalism of everyone who contributed to this successful prosecution, and we are glad to see justice done for Robert Cantor and his family and friends," they said in a statement.

Tung can appeal the sentence within 45 days, which his attorney Ian Silvera said they plan to do. He said they plan on trying to get the whole trial overturned again.

Silvera maintains there is not enough evidence to prove that Tung was in New Jersey the night Cantor was murdered.

"The jury has spoken," Silvera said "We have to respect the verdict. We don't have to agree with it but that's why we're going to start the appellate process."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck NJ murder case ends in life in prison for NYC man