WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — Judge Mark A. Trusock on Tuesday said he will sentence convicted killer Jon Siesling to a term of years, upending his current sentence of life in prison without parole.

Trusock’s sentencing has been set for Thursday, June 8. The minimum term can range from 25 years up to 40 years in prison. The maximum term is capped at 60 years. Siesling, 37, is currently at a state prison in Macomb County.

Tuesday’s ruling followed closing statements by the defense and prosecution. Trusock heard testimony last week from several witnesses, including Siesling.

Siesling was convicted of murder in 2003 after killing his mother and two sisters, 15-year-old Katelin and 6-year-old Leah, in their Walker home. He was 17 years old at the time.

He received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for those who are 17 and younger is unconstitutional. A judge in 2021 again sentenced Siesling to life in prison.

The following year, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled mandatory life sentences is unconstitutional for those 18 and younger, leading to Siesling’s resentencing.

“The change in the law the supreme court has made makes cases almost impossible to proceed and to give a life term for these offenders,” said Chris Becker, Kent County Prosecutor. You’ve got to look at how they’re doing in prison, what was their age, you’re really taking a look at a bunch of stuff that has nothing to do with the incident.”

Sielsing’s attorney, Tina Olson, told News 8 these are tough rulings and she’s appreciative of the judge’s decision.

“The court took into consideration all the information we know about Jon and very importantly, how Jon has grown and changed and matured, and become a different person than he was 20 years ago,” Olson said.

Olson said ‘juvenile lifers’ are unlikely to commit additional crimes after their releasing, pointing to a 2020 study at Montclair State University, which focused on these types of offenders in Philadelphia.

“They have about a 1% recidivism rate. When you compare that to the fact that in Michigan our recidivism rate is 23.6%, and that’s the lower it’s been, that’s remarkable,” Olson said.

Becker said the resentencing hearings open old wounds for families and place a significant burden on prosecutors. He said he will push for Siesling to receive the maximum sentence allowed, due to the nature of his crime. 

“We’ll do all we can to make sure we get as much time as possible because I don’t know if we’ve had a worse case in Kent County,” Becker said.