Our news partners at The Seattle Times report that the man who killed a Magnolia teenager in 1982 but wasn’t arrested until 21 years later after he was tricked into giving police a DNA sample, could be released from prison next month.
John Nicholas Athan was 14 when he strangled Kristen Sumstad, his 13-year-old neighbor. The girl’s half-nude body was found on Nov. 12, 1982, inside a cardboard box behind a television-repair shop in Magnolia where the teens lived.
Earlier this year, the state parole board ruled that Athan, 43, is not likely to reoffend and approved his release on parole after serving about seven years.
Gov. Chris Gregoire whose office said she is reviewing Athan’s case, has the authority to overrule the board. She has not made a decision on whether to order Athan to remain behind bars. You can read the entire story from The Times here.
If OJ gets away with murder and so does this guy (cause it’s unlikely he’ll reoffend!!!) then anyone can get away with it! Ridiculous…offensive, appalling…what if it were our loved one??? Annoys the crap out of me…
Yeah, doesnt seem right. Especially after he evaded capture for so long.
Somehow this does not seem to be just – 7 years in prison for a brutal murder. And any 14 year old who would commit such a vicious crime has got to have several screws loose. And apparently he soon will be free.
?There’s the rub.? 14 years old = juvenile.