BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana man who was convicted of murdering two people in 1979 and was given life without parole has been released from prison.
The Louisiana Board of Pardons and Parole voted 2-1 on Monday to release David Chenevert from prison, according to The Associated Press. Chenevert had previously agreed to life in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing Michael Brown, 26, and Evelyn McIntyre, 18, in 1979. Brown was his roommate and McIntyre was a friend.
The board voted to commute his sentence back in December after observing his good behavior, rehabilitation and growth, according to the AP.
The AP said that the board came to the decision after a 90-minute hearing which included testimony from Brown and McIntyre’s family who were against him being released. Chenevert apologized to the families of the victims.
Chenevert was released after 42 years in prison, according to the AP. He is now 64 years old. Chenevert was 21 when he stabbed Brown and McIntyre.
It was believed that Chenevert was mad about missing drug money that led to the deadly attack. He avoided the death penalty in a plea deal. In the deal, he pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for life in prison without the possibility of parole, said the AP.
Chenevert agreed to leave Louisiana and if he were to return, he would need permission from a parole officer, according to the AP. Chenevert married a woman while he was in prison back in 2001 and planned to move away with her. He is also required to complete 20 hours of community service every month and not contact the victims’ families.