10 Notorious Criminals Set to Be Released from Prison
Jackie Arklöv
A former mercenary and war criminal, Jackie Arklöv, was convicted in 1999 for his role in the ruthless murder of two police officers. Working with a group of other men, Arklöv embarked on a robbery spree across the Swedish province of Östergötland. On May 28, 1999, the group robbed Östgöta Enskilda Bank in Kisa. As they made off with millions in stolen money, two police officers spotted their vehicle and pursued them. Gunfire erupted, and the police officers were killed. Originally sentenced to life in prison for his participation in the killings, Arklöv may be free as soon as 2026 due to a controversial ruling that commuted his sentence to 41 years. The prosecution has filed an appeal on this decision.
Elena Kiejliches
In 2002, Elena Kiejliches murdered her husband following an argument about money. Borys Kiejliches, a wealthy businessman who made his fortune in jet fuel, threatened to leave Elena in financial ruin after he discovered her ongoing affair with a man named Messiah Justice. Following the dispute, Elena murdered Borys in the basement of their lavish Staten Island home. After killing her husband, Elena took her children to Disney World, telling them that their father had left. Sentenced to 22 years to life, Elena Kiejliches will go before parole commissioners in 2024 in a bid to secure her freedom.
Michael Taylor
In 1990, disabled Vietnam veteran James Zappalorti was murdered in a heinous hate crime. The perpetrator, Micahel Taylor, set out with an accomplice intending to rob Zappalorti. Instead, Taylor killed him. Afterward, the two men attempted to rob Zappalorti’s home using his keys. The crime was the first case ever in Staten Island to be officially ruled a hate crime based on sexual orientation. The pair had harassed Zappalorti in the past and had previously spent time in jail for physically assaulting another man. Taylor is currently serving 23 years to life in prison for the murder and is scheduled for a parole hearing in May 2024.
Robert Pickton
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Notorious Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton shocked the country with his crimes. Also known as the Pig Farmer Killer, Pickton was convicted in 2007 for murdering six women. An extensive investigation revealed evidence of additional murders, and it is believed he began killing in the early 1990s, not long after inheriting his family’s Port Coquitlam pig farm. He was sentenced to life in prison, but under Canadian law, he would become eligible for parole after 25 years. As of February 2024, Pickton is able to seek day parole. However, no hearing has yet been set.
Patrick Goodman
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In 2002, Patrick Goodman was convicted of killing his girlfriend’s son in San Francisco. The brutality and senselessness of the murder shocked investigators and the prosecution, who vowed to put Goodman behind bars and keep him there. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Despite protest from the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, Goodman was granted parole in December 2023. He is currently awaiting a mandatory review of the parole board’s decision. Unless California Governor Gavin Newsom chooses to exercise his authority to overturn the parole decision, Goodman will be officially released in April 2024.
Edmund Kemper
Standing at an imposing 6’9” tall, Edmund Kemper looms large as one of America’s most notorious serial killers. Convicted in 1973 for the murders of eight people, Kemper has been in prison for over 50 years. Before his infamous killing spree, Kemper was convicted of slaying his paternal grandparents. He became eligible for parole in 1979, and several parole requests have been denied over the years. He was most recently denied parole in 2017 and will again be eligible to seek a hearing with the parole board in 2024.
Susan Smith
In 1994, Susan Smith gained national notoriety after she claimed that her two children had been kidnapped during a carjacking. When Smith appeared on the news begging for the return of her children, no one suspected the demure glasses-wearing South Carolina mom was capable of murder. However, police grew suspicious of her, and eventually, her story began to unravel. Smith was arrested and subsequently confessed to killing her sons. Sentenced in 1995 to life in prison, Smith will be eligible to seek parole for the first time in November 2024.
Yolanda Saldívar
In 1995, rising star Selena Quintanilla was murdered by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldívar. In the mid-1990s, Selena was a Tejano music sensation who was poised to break into mainstream pop success. Selena’s family discovered that Saldívar had embezzled a significant sum of money from the songstress. Selena met with Saldívar on the morning of March 31, 1995, to collect a few financial documents. By some accounts, Selena also intended to fire Saldívar at that time. An argument ensued, and Saldívar pulled a gun on Selena. Sentenced to life in prison in 1995, Saldívar will become eligible for parole in March 2025.
Mark David Chapman
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On December 8, 1980, the news of John Lennon’s death reverberated around the world. Fans of the legendary Beatles musician were horrified to learn he’d been killed by an obsessed fan named Mark David Chapman. An unremarkable man with no prior criminal convictions, Chapman was in a deteriorating mental state and drinking heavily before the killing. On the evening of the murder, Chapman waited outside Lennon’s apartment building and shot the unsuspecting singer as he returned home. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. Chapman was also ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment. He’s been denied parole 12 times. In 2024, he will make his thirteenth appearance before the parole board.
Anthony Senter & Joseph Testa
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During the 1970s and 80s, the Gemini twins were two of the most merciless hitmen in the world of New York organized crime. Anthony Senter and Joseph Testa were childhood friends who earned their unusual nickname because they primarily operated out of the Gemini Lounge in Brooklyn and always worked together. They gained a reputation for how ruthlessly and efficiently they were at making people disappear. In 1989, Senter and Testa were convicted on ten counts of murder and racketeering. Both were sentenced to life in prison. In 2022, to the dismay of his victims’ loved ones, Senter was granted parole. He was sent to a halfway house in December 2023 while Testa is set to get out per USPC orders in April 2024. Are there more notorious criminals about to be released back into society? Let us know who we should have included in our list!
