DETROIT — A father and son will spend the rest of their lives in prison after being convicted of murdering a troubled 15-year-old Lincoln Park girl last year.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Brian Sullivan sentenced William Digna Jr., 46, of Lincoln Park and William Digna II, 24, of Huron Township on Monday to life in prison without the chance of parole for killing Heather Michell Kish.

According to court testimony, the younger Digna dated Kish’s older sister for a while. When their relationship soured, he began going out with the 15-year-old.

Their time together was rocky and the two often fought. During their struggles, Kish sometimes threatened to go to police and tell them that Digna was raping her.

When his father got word of that, he said he’d kill the girl before his son would ever be sent to jail.

A friend of the family’s testified that Kish was last seen alive on the night of her 15th birthday. She celebrated it with the Digna men at her boyfriend’s trailer by drinking alcohol into the early morning hours of Sept. 15.

An argument ensued and during the brawl, her boyfriend slapped her in the face before his father repeatedly punched her before choking her with a dog leash.

The men then drove to the Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Brownstown Township and dropped off her body. A couple walking near a marsh there Oct. 6 found her body bound at the legs and stuffed inside a sleeping bag.

The Dignas were arrested Oct. 20 at a truck stop in Louisiana.

Many tears were shed throughout the trial as Kish’s relatives heard graphic testimony of how she was killed and later found. Also especially hard, they said, was that everyone involved knew each other.

It took a jury less than two hours to convict the pair May 28.

Kish’s short life had been in turmoil for many years.

Since being made a ward of the state in 2001, she had run away from virtually every foster home she’d been placed into.

Her father was in prison and her mother allegedly abused alcohol, which led to her being put in the care of her grandmother, where she fled from last.

Jeanette Jackson of Lincoln Park said the last time she heard from her granddaughter was July 17, when she called and asked if she could spend the night at a friend’s house.

Jackson told her no and to just come home, but she was never heard from again.

Contact Staff Writer Jason Alley at jalley@heritage.com or at 1-734-246-0867.