FORT WORTH -- An auto repair shop owner was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday for killing an unarmed 25-year-old man last year.
Arthur L. Foley Jr., 44, of Fort Worth faced a maximum sentence of life in prison for killing Brandon Sibley, a former employee of Foley."Brandon Sibley has been gone now for about a year and a half," prosecutor Joshua Ross said in his closing argument Tuesday. "This moment today is his last chance to have a voice. And that voice is going to come through you, the jury."As jurors walked out of the courtroom for an afternoon recess, Foley's son, Arthur Foley III, rose from the gallery to tell his father that he loved him.Foley was convicted of murder Monday.Earlier Tuesday, friends and relatives testified on Foley's behalf in the punishment phase."He bought me some brand new tires," said Tilwen Green, a former employee and friend. "He knew I suffered with my back, and I needed them."But insurance investigators testified that they believed Foley submitted more than $33,000 in fraudulent claims after a burglary in December 2009 at Alf's Auto Repair, Foley's garage in the 5200 block of Mosson Road in southeast Fort Worth."I don't believe this is just a case of sloppy record-keeping," said Sgt. Kevin Lemon, an investigator with the Texas State Board of Insurance.During the trial, witnesses testified that Sibley had been fired by Foley. They said Sibley had left stereo speakers at the shop as collateral on a $300 to $400 loan.Employee Willie Davis testified that when Sibley showed up at the garage on May 23, 2011, Davis told Sibley that the speakers had been stolen when the business was burglarized two days earlier.Davis said he would replace the speakers or give Sibley cash.Sibley left the shop but returned later that afternoon and got into a fight with Foley's sister, Miracle Foley, Davis testified. During the altercation, a gun dropped to the ground from Sibley's pants, and Foley picked it up. Foley testified that he shot Sibley once to protect his sister.Mitch Mitchell, 817-390-7752Twitter: @mitchmitchel3
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