Amber Guyger Granted Parole 7 Years After Botham Jean Murder

Seven years after Amber Guyger killed Botham Jean in his Dallas apartment, the former police officer is set to leave prison on parole. Jean’s death became a flashpoint in conversations about race, policing and justice, and Guyger’s release is bringing the case back into focus.

Guyger, 38, was granted parole Thursday (Oct. 1) after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence for Jean’s 2018 murder. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles cited Guyger’s lack of a documented pattern of violent or assaultive arrests or convictions, her satisfactory adjustment while incarcerated and her completion of programs intended to improve her chances of maintaining stable employment.

We previously told you that Guyger was sentenced in October 2019 after a jury convicted her of murder. At trial, she testified that she had just finished work as a Dallas police officer and mistakenly went to Jean’s fourth-floor apartment, believing it was her own. She said she believed Jean was an intruder when she opened the door and shot him.

Jean was 26 when he was killed. A native of St. Lucia, he moved to the United States for college and graduated from Harding University in Arkansas. He worked as an accountant in Dallas and was deeply involved in his Christian church community. The city later renamed the street running directly along the Jack Evans Police Headquarters to honor Jean. His family and friends have continued to describe him as someone who made people feel seen and valued.

RELATED: Texas Court Denies the Appeal of Amber Guyger, the Ex-cop Who Killed Botham Jean In His Apartment

Guyger’s conviction has faced several legal challenges. She appealed, arguing that the evidence was legally insufficient to support her murder conviction and that her mistaken belief about the apartment should have had an impact on the verdict, The Root also reported. The Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas affirmed the conviction in 2021, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals later refused to review the case. The U.S. Supreme Court also declined to take up the case.

Her first parole request, in 2024, was denied, as we told you. Later that year, a civil jury awarded Jean’s family $98.6 million in damages.

The Dallas Police Department said it had no role in the recent parole decision. In a statement, the department said the decision could bring “renewed attention and emotion” surrounding Jean’s death, according to NBC Dallas.

“The Dallas Police Department understands this decision may bring renewed attention and emotion surrounding the tragic death of Botham Jean,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts remain with the Jean family and all those impacted by his loss.” The department also emphasized that parole decisions are made by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and are outside DPD’s authority.

On the other hand, Jean’s family has continued to oppose Guyger’s release. Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who represents the family, said they were “deeply disappointed” by the decision and that Jean was in his own home, eating ice cream, when he was killed. The family had previously opposed Guyger’s first parole request and again asked that she serve the full 10-year sentence.

Allisa Charles-Findley, Jean’s sister, previously told ABC News she wanted Guyger to serve her full sentence. “We have to deal with that sentence for the rest of our lives, Charles-Findley said. “So for the person responsible for taking Botham away from us just unjustly and senselessly, the logical thing to do is to have her serve her full sentence.”

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has not announced when Guyger will be released.