Despite raising more than 20 arguments, most involving claims his lawyers were ineffective, convicted murder Ernest Wholaver Jr. was unable to sway the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that his conviction and sentences was unjustified.

Wholaver was convicted of killing his wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve 2002 in Middletown, and sentenced to death.

The supreme court dismissed more than a dozen issues that Wholaver raised.

Wholaver was charged with sexually abusing his daughters Elizabeth, 15, and Victoria, 20. His wife Jean, 43, had obtained a restraining order at the time.

Investigators said Wholeaver killed his family because he wanted to prevent his daughters from testifying that he had repeatedly raped them.

Wholaver was convicted of the three first-degree murder charges in 2004.