Terry Sipe, a 63-year-old man from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to over seven months in prison for attempting to frame his neighbors for attempted homicide. On Tuesday (June 17), Sipe appeared before Judge Michelle H. Sibert and pled guilty to several charges, including criminal coercion, false reports to law enforcement, and recklessly endangering another person.
The incident unfolded when Sipe falsely reported to police that his neighbors, the Mixell family, had attacked him. He claimed they bound his hands with duct tape, placed a bag over his head, and left him bloodied in a ditch. However, an investigation led by Trooper Jacob Brown-Schields revealed that Sipe had inflicted the injuries on himself and staged the scene. Forensic evidence confirmed that only Sipe's DNA and fingerprints were present, and investigators found a handwritten "to-do" list in his home with steps to frame his neighbors, such as "make sure I wear gloves when planting evidence" and "when ready to call 911 have evidence all planted" (Cumberland County District Attorney's Office).
During the sentencing, members of the Mixell family delivered powerful victim impact statements, describing the trauma they experienced from being removed from their home and interrogated by police. The District Attorney's Office praised Trooper Brown-Schields for his thorough investigation and acknowledged the efforts of Victim Advocate Jordan Zercher and First Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hair LaRue, who prosecuted the case (Local 21 News).
Sipe's sentence exceeds the standard sentencing guidelines, reflecting the severity of his actions. Following his prison term, he will serve consecutive probation periods (FOX43).