A Winchester man convicted of killing his wife will spend the rest of his life in jail.

James D. Hunter murdered his wife Debra Stratton back in 1990. He's believed to have partially strangled the woman, and then left her to die after setting their home on fire. He was originally sentenced to death, but that was overturned after an appeal in 1995. At that point he was given life in prison, but every six years or so, he's come up for parole.

The possibility that Hunter could get out was horrifying for Debra Stratton's family.

"It was kinda like they weren't going to punish him", says Walter Hackworth, Stratton's brother. To avoid the release of his sisters killer, Stratton and his entire family went before the parole board numerous times to plead their case.

This year, after several trips to the board, they were told Hunter would never be offered parole again.

"It gives me closure", says Hackworth.

Closure he and his family have been needing for eighteen years.