The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled a man convicted of killing two jailers in northern Missouri almost 17 years ago did not receive ineffective assistance of counsel. The ruling means he will remain under a death sentence.
Michael Tisius – Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Corrections
The Supreme Court’s 6-0 decision, written by Chief Justice Patricia Breckenridge, was handed down on Tuesday.
Michael Tisius was convicted of two counts of first degree murder for the brutal June 2000 killings of Randolph County jailers Leon Egley and Jason Acton.
Tisius, 36, is under two death sentences.
The Missouri Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the appeal on September 28. Tuesday’s ruling came about seven months later.
Veteran Randolph County Prosecutor Mike Fusselman spoke to Missourinet Tuesday afternoon. Fusselman tells Missourinet he is relieved for the victims’ families (Egley and Acton), adding that he looks forward to bringing this case to a conclusion.
Longtime Randolph County Sheriff Mark Nichols agrees with Prosecutor Fusselman’s comments, telling Missourinet that “it’s time for this to come to a conclusion.”
Fusselman has prosecuted Tisius for years, with assistance from the Missouri Attorney General’s office. Three different AG’s have assisted Fusselman: Jay Nixon, Chris Koster and now Josh Hawley.
Prosecutors say Tisius and Tracie Bulington tried to break Roy Vance out of the old Randolph County Jail in Huntsville in 2000. Egley and Acton were both shot to death.
Both victims were unarmed, and the old jail has since been replaced. Sheriff Nichols says it was replaced in May 2005.
Tisius is being held at the maximum-security Potosi Correctional Center in Mineral Point. Vance is serving a life sentence without parole, and he’s also incarcerated in Potosi. As for Tracie Bulington, she is serving two life sentences in Chillicothe, after being convicted of two counts of second degree murder.