Killer jailed for at least 19 years for murder of 'kind and magnificent' Inverness musician

A man who brutally murdered a "kind" musician who had allowed him to stay at his Inverness flat has been jailed for a minimum of 19 years.

Waldemar Jaronski, 52, brandished a knife at Iain MacFarlane, 32, before striking him on the head with a glass bottle.

When Mr MacFarlane fell to the ground, Jaronski pinned him to the floor, placed a knee on his neck to restrict his breathing and forced a pair of boxer shorts into his mouth.

He then wrapped an electrical cable and a knotted length of material around his victim's neck and strangled him to death.

In his sentencing statement, judge Lord Mulholland branded the violent act "brutal and savage".

He added: "You murdered a man who had shown you an act of kindness by allowing you to stay at his flat, you having no place to stay.

"Whatever happened before you murdered the victim will never be definitively known. Your explanation is not corroborated and the only witness to the contrary is dead. You saw to that.

"You clearly intended to kill your victim and you then executed your intention and murdered him."

The fatal attack occurred at Mr MacFarlane's home in Strathspey Place on the morning of 4 December 2025.

Emergency crews were called to the property, but Mr MacFarlane was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jaronski was arrested by Police Scotland the same day and later charged.

The killer pleaded guilty to murder at the High Court in Glasgow earlier this month.

He returned for sentencing on Monday, where he was handed a mandatory life sentence with at least 19 years behind bars.

Lord Mulholland said Mr MacFarlane was a "talented musician loved by his family" as he highlighted the "heartbreaking" victim impact statements supplied by his parents and sister.

The judge added: "What struck me was how kind a person he was - always helping others, particularly those in need.

"He was a magnificent musician and writer. His musicianship took him all over the world. He was able to master any stringed instrument.

"His parents describe the entire city of Inverness being in mourning when he passed. A local college created a patchwork blanket to honour his kindness.

"You robbed him of his future, taking such a gentle soul from his family and the wider world."

Read more from Sky News:
Woman dies after alligator bites off her arm
British man killed on Caribbean island

Following Jaronski's guilty plea, Detective Inspector Graham Gordon said Mr MacFarlane's family and friends had suffered an "unimaginable loss".

He added: "While nothing can change what happened or ease the pain felt by those who knew and loved him, I hope this verdict provides them with some measure of justice.

"Jaronski has now been held accountable and will now face the consequences of his actions."

(c) Sky News 2026: Killer jailed for at least 19 years for murder of 'kind and magnificent' Inverness musician