 , Missouri , Gov.  , Mike Parson , commuted the word of , Patricia Prewitt, who had , spent 40 years behind bars , for her father’s 1984 death, among other decreased words and clemency announced Friday.
Prewitt, 75, has maintained her innocence while serving a life-sentence for the dying. Attorneys and advocates have criticized the case for years and have attributed her prison to an unsatisfactory investigation and imperfect test.
The , Feb. 18, 1984  , murder of , William Edward Prewitt, 35, shocked the small community of , Holden, near , Warrensburg, who knew the Prewitts as an “all-American couple”, according to previous reporting by The Star.
Patty Prewitt , claimed an attacker entered their house that night, shot her father while he was sleeping and attacked her with a weapon. Researchers at the time said there was no sign of forced entry and immediately turned their attention to , Patty Prewitt , as a suspect.
Prosecutors at the test claimed , Patty Prewitt , tried to rid of a firearm by throwing it into a lake on their 40-acre remote home. But, the condition said, the weapon stuck like a spear, forcing her to swim in and push it down. A boot print discovered close to the water sleep, according to investigators, matched boots found near Patty Prewitt, b. 1928.
Patty Prewitt , became the country’s longest-serving sexual prisoner. Since her confinement, her relatives, including their five kids, claimed she was unjustly convicted and strongly advocated for her launch. The situation has been , featured in documentaries , and followed by local and national press for centuries.
A , business advocating for her clemency , claimed investigators ignored reliable leads pointing to an invader and failed to collect important information that could have identified a man who , Patty Prewitt , says assaulted her and murdered her husband.
Patty Prewitt , was freed Friday evening, the , Associated Press , reported, before the government officially announced his mercy choices. The reduced statement for , Patty Prewitt , does not forgive her of the murder conviction, but grants her launch on probation.
The problems of Paty Prewitt’s pardon were no immediately apparent.
Family of , Patty Prewitt , released a statement on social media following the news of her clemency.
” I am so glad to be house with my home for Christmas. Thank you to Governor , Mike Parson , and to all the people who have supported me over the years” , , Patty Prewitt , said in the statement.
Patty Prewitt’s circumstance was one of nine commutations and 16 pardons that the government announced on Friday, wrapping up the governor’s cabinet’s remaining clemency requests before the holiday week.
Among the 25 names granted clemency was  , Eric DeValkenaere, the former , Kansas City  , police detective convicted in 2021 of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of , Cameron Lamb, a Black man, in , December 2019.
___
© 2024 The Kansas City Star
Distributed by , Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
