Kristina Fetters, an inmate in an Iowa prison, was granted ‘compassionate release’ on Tuesday by a parole board. Fetters, now 33, was convicted of murdering her 73-year-old aunt, Arlene Klehm, in 1994. She was only 14 at the time of her trial and conviction, and entered the prison at 15.
Fetters was diagnosed in September as having inoperable stage 4 breast cancer. An oncologist who reviewed Fetters’ case before the hearing said that the patient was showing some improvement after starting a hormone therapy program in October, and has seen patients with the same diagnosis go on to live for a few more years.
Many of the board members wanted to wait and see how Fetters’ condition progressed before granting parole. However, the board ultimately decided on Tuesday to grant the release, with the stipulation that Fetters is to go nowhere other than the hospice facility, and will be under the watchful eye of a parole officer appointed to her.
According to the Des Moines Register, a board member stated that Tuesday’s decision may not be the board’s final word on the matter; depending on how the treatment and illness of the patient progresses, the board may reconvene and reassess Fetters’ release.
Kristina Fetters is purportedly going to be released to a Hospice Care of Central Iowa facility within the next couple of weeks, according to Fred Scaletta, the spokesman for the Iowa Department of Corrections.
The family of both women were pleased with the board’s decision, her aunt, Darcy Olson, said Tuesday. She and other members of the murderess’ family were at the hearing in support of Kristina Fetters.
“It’s now time for my family to have closure,” Olson said. “Kris’ impending death cannot be denied, and while there have been negative comments, we believe, as the victims, that this family has suffered enough.”
Main image courtesy KCCI via YouTube.
