CHENEY, Wash. — The Cheney man convicted of murdering his wife in 2018 will now spend 25 years in prison. Last month, a jury found David Pettis, 60, guilty of first degree murder. He laced Peggy Pettis's ice cream with a lethal amount of prescription drugs.
In his sentence hearing Wednesday morning, Peggy's family asked the judge to sentence Pettis to life in prison.
A part of Peggy was in the courtroom. Not just in spirit and memory. But also, in the hummingbird that hung around her sister's neck.
"We wanted a little piece of Peggy with us," Lori Wilson, Peggy's sister said. "So there's a little bit of her ashes in our necklaces. The sisters all have the same necklaces."
During his sentencing, Peggy's family told the judge how his actions changed their lives forever.
"He's only sorry he didn't get away with murdering Peggy," Wilson said.
She shared her own thoughts and the words of family who could not be there.
"As her sisters, our grief over the death of Peggy will always be with us," Wilson said. "Peggy's life had value and meaning, and we will always miss her."
Elizabeth Culp, Pettis's daughter, spoke on Pettis's behalf. She insists her father is not capable of murdering her mother.
"My dad still loved my mom, and I know that he was not capable of this," Culp said.
Judge Michael Price spoke directly to Pettis before giving his sentence.
"You killed her, and quite frankly sir, you were selfish and uncaring," Price said.
The judge respected the family's wish to give Pettis life in prison and sentenced him to 25 years.
"To be frank, given, Mr. Pettis, your current age, this is essentially a life sentence," Price said.
After the hearing, Wilson said she is relieved by this sentence.
"We are strong people and we're going to heal," Wilson said. "It's going to be a scare, but we're going to heal."