Man used sibling’s rifle to kill parents before taking his own life, deputies say
A Madison County man killed his parents before taking his own life, using a rifle that belonged to one of his siblings, authorities said.
Justin Sislo, 35, fatally shot his parents, Steve M. Sislo, 76, and Donna M. Walker-Sislo, 72, at their home on McCormick Road in the town of Madison on Aug. 7. Sislo then died by suicide inside the residence.
The .22-caliber rifle had been purchased by one of Sislo’s siblings in Georgia more than four years earlier. It had been left at the parents’ home in Steve Sislo’s possession and was used for target shooting.
Deputies were sent to the residence for a welfare check after one of Sislo’s siblings called 911 and expressed concern about the safety of the parents. The sibling cited a history of domestic violence involving Justin Sislo.
Sislo had been involved in a domestic incident with his father in March 2024, though no charges were filed.
When deputies arrived at the home, they detected a strong odor of gas and found gas escaping inside the residence. They discovered the three victims and recovered the rifle, which was the only firearm found inside the home.
Investigators determined the incident was a double murder-suicide.
At the time of the killings, Sislo was prohibited from possessing firearms under protection orders issued by two judges. The orders followed two separate arrests involving allegations that he abused his girlfriend.
He was initially arrested by police in Moravia in Cayuga County and was later arrested by Madison County deputies. The charges included assault, strangulation, reckless endangerment, menacing, promoting a suicide attempt, and endangering the welfare of a physically disabled person.
Sislo’s girlfriend told investigators that she had endured months of severe abuse. She alleged that he punched and beat her, causing broken ribs and toes, forced her to sleep in a vehicle, and injected her with his diabetes medication until she became ill. She also said she had attempted suicide twice while trying to escape the abuse.
Despite the protection orders, Sislo was released from jail after his father posted $10,000 bail in both cases. He had been ordered to have all firearms removed from his possession.
On July 29, deputies seized firearms from Sislo’s residence on Hill Road while executing a search warrant connected to a protection order filed after his Madison County arrest.
However, the rifle ultimately used in the killings was not among the firearms seized because it was stored at his parents’ home rather than Sislo’s residence.
Funeral services for Steve and Donna Sislo were held earlier this month.
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