I agree being in their late 40's is far too young. They might still meet one of these mad women who go around being penpals to convicted murderers and then marry them and have a happy life - with a couple of kids perhaps, and grandchildren - until they die peacefully in their bed at 90.
They shouldn't be allowed to do that. The children and grandchildren their victim might have had, will never be born. That's why the tarif should be more than 23 or 27 years, it should be 50 minimum.
I honestly think that the reason the majority of the public are in favour of the death penalty, is because murderers don't serve life. If the choice is "death or 23 years", most people will say death. If it is "death or life imprisonment, or at least until the old geezer is so old and infirm that he needs help to go to the loo" then most people would choose the latter.