Jurors returned with a guilty verdict after just over two hours of deliberation in the capital murder retrial of Mason Wayne Sisk, who was accused of killing five family members on Labor Day 2019.

The verdict comes at the conclusion of seven days of testimony that often included the showing of gruesome autopsy photos.

Sisk, 18, was accused of shooting to death five family members on Labor Day night, Sept. 2, 2019, while they lay sleeping in their beds. Slain were his father, John Sisk, 38; his stepmother, Mary Sisk, 35; brother, Grayson “Kane” Sisk, 6; sister, Aurora “Rory” Sisk, 4; and baby brother, Colson Sisk, 6 months.

Sisk was under a four-count capital murder indictment: Count 1, the murder of “two or more persons pursuant to one course of action.” There were five fatalities. Counts 2, 3, and 4 of the indictment, were each for the individual killings of a person under 14.

“The important thing is that Mason Sisk will never hurt anyone again,” said District Attorney Brian Jones.

Jones commended the emergency personnel who responded to the crime scene and came to court to tell the jury what they saw and heard that night inside and outside that Ridge Road, Elkmont, home where the murders occurred.

Jones called Assistant District Attorney Kristen Clemmons’ closing arguments “brilliant.”

“The best I’ve ever heard in 30 years of practice.”

Circuit Court Judge Chad Wise set July 25, 2023 for a sentencing hearing.

Jones said because Sisk was just 14 at the time of the killings, he could not receive the death penalty.

“The judge will either sentence him to life in prison without parole or life with 30,” said Jones. “He could be eligible for parole after 30 years, but this is on each count. The judge will have to decide if these sentences will run concurrently or consecutively.”

Clemmons said she was pregnant when the killings occurred and gave birth shortly thereafter.

“As the mother of a young child I took this very personally,” said Clemmons. “It’s just unimaginable that something like this could happen in our county. We’ve (the state) lived with this for four years. Now we know that Mason Sisk will never hurt anyone again.”

Defense Attorney Shay Golden said he was “disappointed” with the verdict.

“We will appeal his case after the sentencing,” said Golden. “We had planned all along for that possibility.”

Golden said that “Mason is hurting. I don’t think he’s had the guidance growing up on how to emote his feelings. He’s had no one to give him instruction or guidance on how to deal with his feelings.”

Golden said he is convinced “the truth will eventually come out, but sometimes it takes time to come out.”