Communities served by the $97 million North Alabama Educators Credit Union in Huntsville, Ala. are reeling from the shock of a 14-year-old boy who allegedly murdered his parents and three siblings: a six-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl and six-month-old boy. The murders were allegedly prompted by the suspect finding out that his stepmother was not his biological parent.
The parents, John Sisk, 38, and Mary Sisk, 35, a special education teacher, were members of the NAECU.
Soon after the news broke of the family's murder on Tuesday, NAECU President/CEO Greg Olmsted opened an account with a $1,000 contribution to collect donations to pay for the funerals and other related expenses.
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"A lot of people are hurting," Olmsted said. "If you can do something to kind of maybe reduce some of that anguish on the financial side of things maybe that would help out. Hopefully, we can help in some way."
John and Mary Sisk were known by some of the staff at the credit union's Athens branch, which the couple frequented. The branch is less than 10 miles from Elkmont where the family lived. NAECU displayed flyers at its branches and posted notices on its social media accounts asking members for donations.
The 14-year-old suspect called 911 at 11 p.m. on Monday and initially told investigators he was in the basement when he heard gunshots and footsteps coming from the home's ground floor, according to the Limestone County Sheriff Department in Athens.
When confronted about discrepancies in his story, however, the suspect confessed to the murders and showed investigators where he dumped the 9mm pistol he used. The gun, which police said was in the home illegally, was recovered by investigators Tuesday morning.
Police said the murdered children were the half-siblings of the male suspect.
He is being held at a juvenile detention center and faces five juvenile counts of murder. Police said these charges could be upgraded to adult charges of murder or capital murder pending legal hearings.
"There are not enough words to convey the sense of loss this family is feeling at this time and there is little the rest of us can do to bring them comfort," Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton said. "We pray as a community for healing in this unprecedented situation and know that together we will persevere and eventually overcome. There are many questions to be answered in the coming days but today, we unite as Elkmontians in prayer for the family, the community as a whole and also for the accused."
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Peter Strozniak
Credit Union Times reporter covering credit union operations, fraud, M&As, leagues, business continuity, and breaking news.
