Murder suspect caught

October 24, 2008 11:47 am

— Danie M. Huffman
wdreporter2@yahoo.com
Johnny Preston Reed, 37, was caught and arrested Thursday morning around 1 a.m. by Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department.
Guy Evan Graves, 35, is still at large.
The men are wanted for the murder of Jeremy Ryan Sisk, 24, of Weatherford.
Family members said Sisk died Tuesday morning while running to his brother’s aid.
Police found the get-away Chevrolet pickup abandoned Thursday on West Lake Drive in Weatherford. Police said they have received information that Graves is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, adding he is armed and dangerous.
Friends, family and fans continue to mourn the loss of Sisk.
Sisk, who was originally said to have been shot in the face, was actually shot in the shoulder after he tried to save his brother from his killers. Sisk’s mother, Debra Sisk, said the medical examiner’s office confirmed the findings Thursday.
Chris Sisk, Jeremy’s older brother, said the men came to his apartment the night before the murder demanding he purchase one-quarter pound of marijuana. Chris told the pair to leave after seeing a weapon, saying he did not want anything to do with people like them or those with guns.
Chris said the following morning, Reed and Graves returned to his home where Jeremy and his girlfriend, Laura Pederson, stayed the night.
Chris said Laura answered the door, and Reed and Graves asked for him.
They went into his bedroom, where they shut the door when Reed said “give me all the money you have now.”
Chris said all he had was $100 and knowing he had a weapon, he gave it to them.
He added Reed “back-handed” him and Chris punched him in the face.
“Graves came at me from behind,” Chris said, adding Jeremy heard the commotion and burst into the room. Seeing his brother in the midst of an altercation, he came to his defense.
“Within 20 seconds, he shot him,” Chris said of Graves. “I heard Jeremy scream. He definitely got the best of them.”
Reeves shouted at Graves saying he wasn’t supposed to use the gun, and the pair fled the scene immediately.
Laura ran from the apartment dialing 9-1-1 as she chased the men down and got the vehicle description and license plate number.
“Jeremy made it to the kitchen floor, where he collapsed,” Chris said.
He added Jeremy laid bleeding from his mouth as he looked for gun shot wounds.
As Chris held Jeremy, he looked up at him and said his last words, “I love you, bro.”
“He started convulsing and then stopped moving totally,” Chris said tearfully. “All I could tell him was, ‘please don’t die.’”
Chris added he knows his brother would save him again if he had to, even knowing the outcome.
“He’d do it again,” he said. “He’d go in there knowing there was a gun. His family, his music and his fans were his life — in that order.”
Chris said police took him to the station, where officers dusted his hand for gun powder residue.
“They held me in an interrogation room with no shirt, no shoes for six hours with Jeremy’s blood on me,” Chris said, attempting to understand why authorities had to eliminate him as a suspect in his brother’s death.
“[The killers] took away someone who had no enemies,” he said. “They hate me because I wouldn’t buy their weed.”
Chris added if he could tell his brother’s murderers anything it would be, “I hope you’re happy. I hope you fry in hell, mother [expletive].”
The Sisk family is still in shock over the death of a son, brother, nephew and friend.
Shay, Jeremy’s oldest brother said, “If anything was known about him, I want people to know he was a hero defending his brother.”
Debra said the last few days have been unbearable.
“It’s not easy,” she said. “It’s surreal. I just don’t want anything negative said about him. He was a good man. He deserves better.”
The Sisk family admits Jeremy had used marijuana in the past and was arrested for it. His last arrest was in January. He stayed at Parker County Justice Center until July. There, he met Chaplain Sonny Buckingham who introduced Jeremy to a better way of life.
Debra said she was happy when Sonny helped Jeremy give his heart to the Lord.
“The day he died he was straight,” she said. “He did a complete turn around.”
Debra and Willie Sisk asked Buckingham to give the eulogy Monday at Jeremy’s funeral.
“I’m overwhelmed at the outpouring from the community, friends and fans,” Debra said. “I appreciate them.”
Debra said many have donated funds to help pay for funeral costs.
Sisk was lead guitarist for Skard Soul, a heavy metal rock band, which was scheduled for an appearance at Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth Nov. 29. Although Chris said the band won’t be playing that evening in the event of Jeremy’s gruesome death, a benefit concert will be held by nearly 20 area bands in tribute to his brother.
Funeral arrangements were made at Galbreaith-Pickard, where viewings will be held today from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The family will attend the viewing Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Sisk’s graveside ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday at Annetta Cemetery. A public wake is to be held at Cherry Park immediately following.
Anyone with information regarding the location of Guy Evan Graves is urged to call Weatherford Police immediately at (817) 598-4300.