California
72-Year-Old Visalia Man Who Dismembered Roommate Headed for Nursing Home
Over the objections of the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office, convicted murderer Jerry McKiearnan, 72, will be placed in a skilled nursing home, most likely in Tulare County.
“I’ve been a prosecutor for a long time, but the crime scene photos prosecutors reviewed in preparing to argue against the defendant’s placement were some of the most horrific I have ever seen.” — Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward
The California Parole Board recommended McKiearnan’s transfer on Wednesday. He is serving a life sentence at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton and isn’t eligible for parole until 2024.
“I’ve been a prosecutor for a long time, but the crime scene photos prosecutors reviewed in preparing to argue against the defendant’s placement were some of the most horrific I have ever seen,” District Attorney Tim Ward said in a news release. “The proper placement for the defendant is behind prison walls and not back in our community or any other community in California.”
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Murder Took Place in 1999
In late 1999, police officers found the dismembered victim in a Visalia apartment that he shared with McKiearnan. A search of the apartment uncovered several plastic bags containing the victim’s body parts, along with a hacksaw and knife with McKiearnan’s fingerprints.
About a year later, McKiearnan was convicted of first-degree murder.
McKiearnan’s previous criminal history included felony and misdemeanor convictions for possession of a controlled substance dating to 1974.
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Conditions of Release
The conditions of McKiearnan’s release to a skilled nursing home include GPS monitoring, not leaving the facility without written approval, alcohol and drug testing, medical evaluations, and no weapons.
