Sisson gets life without parole

CHIPLEY – Minnie Finch described her life the last two years as “tee-total hell” as she and her family have tried to overcome the murder of her son, Daniel. She and another son, Dylan, carried a picture of the two boys and Daniel’s ashes to the sentencing of the man adjudicated guilty as her son’s murder, Arthur Lee Sisson, Jr. on Monday at Washington County Courthouse.

Circuit Judge Allen Register sentenced Sisson to life without parole, and Finch said she believed it was justice.

“As much as possible,” she said. Finch urged Register to sentence the defendant to life without parole.

“Why did he do this? Why was this allowed?” Finch asked the court. “Let him live with it! Give him life, give him the maximum. He gave my son the maximum.”

Sisson pleaded no contest to the June of 2007 second-degree murder of Eads when the victim was strangled with a phone cord and a thin web belt and dragged 107 feet to his death on Bennett Drive in Chipley. Sisson and Eads apparently quarreled over the split of money that the two were embezzling.

Earlier Sisson’s mother and sisters spoke on his behalf, asking that his sentence could be reduced. His sister, Jennifer Holley, said he was not hurtful and was not violent as far as she knew. “I love my brother and there’s a lot more to this story that hasn’t come out yet,” she said.

“I would like to see him get off, but I know that not possible right now,” said Sisson’s mother, Ouida.

Sisson also maintained his innocence, saying that he would be able to clear himself when the opportunity came up. During the hearing Sisson was often in conversation with his court-appointed attorney, Joe Aldridge of the Office of Regional Council. The State was represented by Assistant State Attorney Greg Wilson.

Sisson has the opportunity to appeal, and is being processed into the Florida penal system.