WINNECONNE, WI – A man convicted of killing both his parents inside their Winnebago County home last year has been ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison without the chance of parole.
Erik Tyrrell Metzig, 28, stood before a circuit court judge on Friday as he received consecutive life sentences for the fatal shootings of David and Jan Metzig. The ruling follows his previous no contest plea to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, a plea he later attempted to retract by alleging he was a victim of sexual abuse. That request to reverse his plea was denied by the court.
The sentencing hearing was marked by the emotional testimony of two of Metzig’s siblings, who described the loss of their parents and the impact on their family. One brother told the court that Metzig’s willingness to kill their own parents demonstrated that he could be a danger to anyone. Another sibling urged the court to impose the harshest penalty, stating that the murders would forever define who Erik Metzig is.
Judge Michael Gibbs, who presided over the case, criticized Metzig for failing to take accountability for his actions. The judge noted that during the proceedings, Metzig exhibited little sign of remorse and instead tried to shift blame onto the victims and various circumstances, including medication. Judge Gibbs stated that accountability and justice for the victims required the maximum possible sentence.
Authorities first became involved in March 2023, after deputies were dispatched for a welfare check at the Metzig home on Metzig Road. The call was prompted by a disconnected 911 call from the residence in the early morning hours. When deputies arrived and received no answer at the door, one of the Metzig children allowed them inside, where they discovered both parents dead in their bedroom.
Investigative details revealed that the victims had been shot and their bodies partially concealed with blankets and bags, as described in a probable cause affidavit. The responding sibling informed deputies that Erik Metzig, who also lived at the residence, and his vehicle were both missing.
Inside the house, law enforcement recovered a loaded rifle described as an AR-style weapon. A family member mentioned that Erik had recently developed an interest in such firearms and expressed immediate concern to investigators that his brother was responsible for the crime.
Metzig was later located at a YMCA approximately 26 miles from the family home. When arrested, he was reportedly wearing shooting glasses typically used at gun ranges, further tying him to the crime.
While searching Metzig’s room, authorities also found a journal in which he described a plan to kill his parents and stage their disappearance. The writings outlined his intent to make the deaths appear as if his parents had gone missing during a walk.
The life sentences handed down Friday conclude a high-profile case that left a Wisconsin community in shock. Metzig, now facing the rest of his life behind bars, offered little in the way of explanation or remorse for his actions. The court’s decision appears to reflect the severity and calculated nature of the crime, as well as the devastating impact on the surviving family members.