A court hearing is opening up old wounds for the family of an 8-year-old boy who was kidnapped, tortured and killed in Sutter County. A change in state law gave his convicted killer a chance to be resentenced.

Robert Rhoades was convicted of kidnapping, torturing and murdering Michael Lyons of Yuba City in the 90s.

But Rhoade's sentence was upheld by the judge Friday.

In October, family, friends and community members somberly walked out of the courthouse, disappointed to learn the resentencing hearing for Rhoades would be delayed. But it was a different scene this time around. On Friday, they exited the courthouse with a sigh of relief.

"It has given me a little bit of sense of having trust in the justice system from what the judge did," said Sandy Friend, Lyons' mom.

The judge upheld Rhoades' death sentence, along with many life times in prison for the 1996 murder.

"He gets the death penalty, plus 1,000 years to life on all these other crimes committed. He made a decision, let's just get rid of a one-year prior so we can give this family peace and finality," said Anne Marie Schubert, former Sacramento district attorney.

Another hang-up was a prior conviction before Rhoades murdered Lyons. The judge had to throw that out for this to be over with, but it won't really change his sentencing.

"He allowed us all to say our impacts. My girls, my family, his cousin," said Friend.

In a packed courtroom, the community listened as Lyons' siblings explained how the murder of their brother has shaped their lives.

"It felt really emotional and real to see everyone there physically and to hear just how much it did affect everyone emotionally and to see how much the judge actually took that in. He understood it. He was not just there, he felt it all with us and that was due to our community and family," said Syntara Fuller, Lyons' sister.

"It's just very emotional and like a weight has kinda lifted a little bit," said Kierra Fuller, another one of Lyons' sisters.

In the courtroom, the judge voiced his disappointment to have to be putting the family through such trauma again.

Schubert was there acting as a representative for the family.

Michael's mom, who lives in North Dakota, says flying back and forth for this has also been a financial burden. But after the verdict, she says it's all worth it.

"We would like to thank everybody out there who has given us messages and prayers and sent and signed the petition. I just want to say thank you. They lifted Michael's voice, our spirits today," said Friend.

The resentencing hearings were triggered by Senate Bill 483, which took effect in 2021, making certain old sentencing enhancements invalid. Rhoades fell under the criteria for a resentencing.