Steven Sandison took the life of his cellmate, Theodore Dyer, after learning that Dyer had sexually abused a 9-year-old child. Dyer’s attempts to rationalize his actions to Sandison fueled Sandison’s decision to commit the murder. It should be noted that Sandison is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for ki*lling his girlfriend in 1991.
51-year-old Steven Sandison pleaded guilty to committing second-degree murder against 67-year-old Theodore Dyer on October 29, 2014, at the Saginaw Correctional Facility. The facility is located at 9625 Pierce in Tittabawassee Township.
Theodore Dyer who was originally from Grand Haven and was serving a 25-year minimum sentence for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim under the age of 13.
Sandison reportedly confessed to the police the day after the murder, stating that he asked Dyer about his conviction which he revealed but went on and on trying to justify his actions, which led Sandison to physically assault him. He told the police that after rendering Dyer unconscious, he used Dyer’s shoelaces to strangle him to de*ath.
During his guilty plea, Sandison admitted to the murder and reiterated that he felt no remorse for his actions. He stated that he did not regret what he had done or feel any sympathy towards him but expressed some sympathy towards Dyer’s family.
He also said that “People think I’m some kind of hero, when I’m actually not. I just did what I thought was best in the time I was given,” Sandison continued. “I’ve been getting these emails saying that, you know, it’s not my position to judge anybody. I want to make it quite clear that I didn’t judge him. I know God is the only judge we have. I just set the appointment up”.
Jugde Borchard sentenced Sandison to the highest punishment possible, which is life imprisonment with the possibility of parole and was then transferred by the Michigan Department of Corrections to the high-security area at the Ionia Correctional Facility to serve his sentence.