UPDATE: 4/17 at 5:23 p.m.
DARLINGTON, Wis. (AP) -- A Wisconsin father accused of killing his three sons in a house fire has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences.
Thirty-three-year-old Armin Wand of Argyle was sentenced Wednesday. His sentence carries no chance of parole.
Authorities say Wand set his house on fire in September in hopes of killing his family and collecting insurance money. Seven-year-old Allen, 5-year-old Jeffery and 3-year-old Joseph died in the fire. Sharon Wand and the couple's 2-year-old daughter escaped the fire. The mother later suffered a miscarriage.
The State Journal reports the judge gave Wand the maximum sentence on each count he faced, including 40 years on an arson charge, 60 years on an attempted homicide charge and 40 years for felony murder for the death of the fetus his wife was carrying.
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UPDATE: 4/17 at 9:06 a.m.
DARLINGTON, Wis. (AP) -- A father accused of killing his three young sons in a house fire faces sentencing in Lafayette County.
Thirty-three-year-old Armin Wand faces life in prison when he sentenced Wednesday.
Authorities say he set his house on fire in September in hopes of killing his family and collecting insurance money. Seven-year-old Allen, 5-year-old Jeffrey and 3-year-old Joseph died in the fire. Sharon Wand and the couple's 2-year-old daughter escaped the fire. The mother later suffered a miscarriage.
Wand pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree intentional homicide, one felony murder through arson of a building and one count of arson of a building. Prosecutors dropped two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
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ORIGINAL STORY: 2/5 at 4:23 p.m.
An Argyle man accused of setting a fire that killed his three sons has reached a plea deal with prosecutors and will avoid a jury trial.
Armin Wand III was originally charged with eight felony counts in connection with the Sept. 7 blaze, including first-degree intentional homicide.
Prosecutors allege he and his brother, Jeremy Wand, set Armin Wand's house on fire in an effort to wipe out Armin Wand's family because he wanted a fresh start. Armin Wand's three sons, ages 3, 5 and 7, died in the fire. His pregnant wife rescued their 2-year-old daughter but suffered a miscarriage.
According to WMTV, during Friday's court appearance, some charges were dropped, including two attempted murder charges of Wand's 2-year-old daughter, Jessica, when he pleaded guilty to three murder charges of his sons. He had also faced an intentional homicide charge for the death of his unborn baby. That charge was changed to felony murder.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 17.
