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Politics · October 16, 2026

Amber Guyger released after 7 years in prison for neighbor's murder

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Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was released from a Texas prison on parole Friday after serving seven years of a ten-year murder sentence. Guyger was convicted in 2019 for the 2018 shooting of her neighbor, Botham Jean, whom she killed after mistakenly entering his apartment, believing he was an intruder. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles granted her release under strict supervision, citing her rehabilitation and lack of a prior violent record. While Guyger's attorney stated she remains remorseful, Jean's family and their legal representatives expressed disappointment, noting the early release diminishes the weight of the loss they suffered.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • Amber Guyger was released on parole on Friday, October 16, 2026.
  • She served seven years of a ten-year sentence for the murder of Botham Jean.
  • The shooting occurred in September 2018 when Guyger entered Jean's apartment, mistaking it for her own.
  • Guyger was a Dallas police officer at the time of the shooting and was later fired.
  • She will remain under parole supervision until 2029.
  • Jean's family and their attorney, Lee Merritt, expressed opposition to her early release.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Guyger is prohibited from living in Dallas County or contacting Jean's family.
  • The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles cited Guyger's 'satisfactory institutional adjustment' as a reason for parole.
  • Jean was eating ice cream and watching television at the time he was shot.
  • Prosecutors originally sought a minimum sentence of 28 years.
  • The street where the shooting occurred was renamed Botham Jean Boulevard in 2021.

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