A former California fire captain has been ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison for the brutal killing of his fiancée and her 7-year-old son, a crime prosecutors say began with an argument over the portrayal of firefighters in a movie.

Prosecutors said 47-year-old Darin McFarlin was at home in El Dorado County with his fiancée, 29-year-old Marissa Divodi-Lessa Herzog, and her two children when they began watching the Christian drama “Fireproof,” a film about a troubled firefighter struggling with his marriage and personal demons.

According to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, McFarlin became enraged by what he saw on screen. The tension escalated until he stormed off to a bedroom. Divodi-Lessa followed, and a heated argument broke out. During that confrontation, McFarlin strangled her, authorities said.

Divodi-Lessa managed to break free and ran from the room, telling McFarlin she intended to report the assault as domestic violence. Prosecutors said McFarlin, aware that such a report could end his firefighting career, made a deadly decision.

He retrieved a loaded handgun and followed her into the dining area, where she was on the phone with a family member. Investigators said he struck her in the head with the weapon, checked her phone, then shot her in the head in front of her children.

The couple’s 7-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister witnessed the attack. McFarlin then turned the gun on the boy and fatally shot him. He next aimed at the girl, who pleaded for her life and ran, using a kitchen wall as cover.

Unable to get a clear shot, McFarlin ordered the terrified child to crawl out of the house through a dog door. He then put his phone in airplane mode and fled, leaving the girl to seek help. She was later found safe.

Law enforcement officers captured McFarlin within hours. In court, prosecutors described the killings as calculated acts meant to silence a victim and preserve his reputation and career.

A judge sentenced McFarlin to two consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole, plus an additional life term, 50 years to life, and 15 years, ensuring he will never be released from prison.