In the winter of 2014, a family in Jackson, Michigan, was irrevocably fractured by a single, tragic act. Patrick Alexander Spitler, a 20-year-old male, lost his life on Saturday, December 6, 2014. He was a graduate of Northwest Community Schools and was taking classes at Jackson Community College. Those who knew him described him as a warm and friendly person with a love for running and golf.
He was a hard worker, holding down two jobs at Gordon Food Service and the YMCA.
The circumstances of Patrick's death were not the result of a random act of violence, but a devastating incident within his own home. The person responsible was his then-16-year-old brother, Riley Spitler. According to authorities, Riley told detectives that he had pointed a handgun at his brother, removed a bullet from the chamber, and said, 'Let's see if it's your lucky day.' He claimed he did not expect the gun to fire. Despite this claim, the weapon discharged, and Patrick was struck in the chest, leading to his death.
Following the shooting, Riley Spitler was arrested and charged. In January 2016, he was convicted of second-degree murder. Circuit Judge John McBain subsequently sentenced him to a term of 20 to 40 years in prison. During the sentencing, the boys' father, Brian Spitler, spoke to the court, expressing his profound loss and pleading for leniency for his surviving son, stating that he did not want to lose him to a lengthy incarceration as well.
The legal battle did not end there. The case went through an appeals process, and in 2017, the murder conviction was thrown out. The appeals court found that the trial judge had made an error by allowing certain testimony to be heard by the jury, specifically from friends of Patrick who spoke of his fears regarding his brother, and from a detective who provided 'linguistic statement analysis.' The conviction was overturned again in 2018. Ultimately, the appeals court suggested that Riley Spitler either be resentenced for involuntary manslaughter or that prosecutors could retry him. Prosecutors chose not to pursue a new murder trial, and the conviction was reduced to involuntary manslaughter. As a result, Riley Spitler was resentenced to a term of four to fifteen years in prison and has since been released after serving five and a half years.
