Families of suspect, victim say Montgomery County Sheriff ignored warning signs leading to murder
Family members say loved one's shooting could have been prevented
A family living in Montgomery County is demanding accountability tonight after their loved one was gunned down in a New Caney trailer park. They say the sheriff's office was warned about the alleged shooter and that the violence could have been prevented.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas - Two families are claiming the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office ignored warning signs leading up to a killing in New Caney.
The Killing
What we know:
On May 10, 58-year-old Timothy Sisco shot and killed his neighbor, 67-year-old Billy Fisher, outside his home at the 1485 RV Park in New Caney, according to a Montgomery County Sheriff press release.
The release says Fisher was found at the scene with gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead. Sisco stayed at the scene and was detained by deputies.
The release says the two neighbors have been having ongoing disputes – but Fisher’s family says this isn’t the whole story.
The warning signs
What they're saying:
Audry Ritchie, Fisher’s daughter, says her father called the sheriff about Sisco saying he was in fear for his life multiple times before the killing.
She claims one call was made in April, another on May 8, one on May 9, and the final call on May 10 before the shooting took place.
"When they came out, they never took him to jail," she said.
She says her father operated dump trucks for a living and was always a great father to her, her late sister, and her brother.
"He was the glue to our family. Now, we're falling apart," she said.
Her brother, Burl Fisher, says his father called him several times the week before his killing, telling him about Sisco – and the calls he made to the sheriff about his fears.
"He had already made several calls warning them about this guy," he said.
On May 10, hours after talking to his father, he got the call about the shooting from his family.
"I get a call from the family saying he had been shot. They’re screaming. I can hear him gurgling, trying to catch his breath," he said. "I feel like this could have been completely avoided the very first time."
Suspect's family echos the concerns
The other side:
Sisco’s family shares these concerns. "First and foremost, I want to send from my family our deepest sympathies to the victim’s family," said his sister, Jonica Poulos. "This situation, this could have been prevented."
She also claims the sheriff was called at least three times leading up to the shooting. She explained that her brother has schizophrenia and that she thinks responders should have taken him into custody before things escalated.
"EMS wasn’t called, they didn’t take him to jail, they didn’t take him to a mental hospital," she said.
The suspects criminal history
Dig deeper:
Sisco is a convicted felon and has a criminal history dating back to the 80’s. His convictions include:
- 1988 Drug conviction
- 1988 Burglary conviction
- 1990 Burglary conviction
- 2001 Possession of CS conviction
- 2001 Burglary conviction
He has been charged with multiple other crimes that did not lead to convictions, including aggravated sexual assault of a child in 2013 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2023. Both of those cases were dismissed.
The Sheriff's Office response
What they're saying:
FOX 26 has requested the call logs and reports made from the RV park, including the two parties over the past month.
The sheriff’s office declined to interview responding to our request with the following statement:
"The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office responded to two complaints regarding Mr. Fisher and Timothy Sisco.
In reference to the call on May 8, 2025, deputies responded to a disturbance between Timothy Sisco and Mr. Fisher, and based on the facts available and in consultation with the District Attorney’s Office, our deputies issued a citation to Sisco for Disorderly Conduct. Based on the evidence and circumstances presented to our deputies and the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office at the time, we believe this was the most appropriate charge available under the law.
Regarding the call on May 9, 2025, no criminal activity was reported by witnesses or observed by our deputies while investigating a report of a disturbance.
Since the shooting of Mr. Fisher, we have remained in close contact with his family. Timothy Sisco has been charged with murder and will be prosecuted for the horrific crime he committed.
We are heartbroken for the family’s loss and extend our deepest sympathy during this incredibly difficult time. We stand committed to seeking justice for the family and will continue working closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure that justice is served."
How can a felon have a gun?
According to the Texas penal code, a convicted felon can lawfully own a firearm under certain circumstances.
Section 46.04 says:
A person who has been convicted of a felony commits an offense if he possesses a firearm: (1) AA of the person ’after conviction and before the fifth anniversary's release from confinement following conviction of the felony or the person ’s release from supervision under community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision, whichever date is later; or (2) AA after the period described by Subdivision (1), at any location other than the premises at which the person lives.
This means a felon can legally have a firearm in their residence five years after the completion of their sentence and/or probation of said felony.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from the family of the victim, the family of the suspect and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.