Sister Of 1993 Murder Victim Fears Killer Will Be Set Free

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jailcell-37

The sister of a Niles teenager who was killed by her boyfriend in 1993 is speaking out against the decision by a Cass County judge to toss out the mandatory life sentence against the killer. That’s due to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared mandatory life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders unconstitutional. Robert Leamon was 16 when he killed Rebecca Stowe and hid her body on a Cass County farm. Cindy Slates is Stowe’s sister and spoke to our partners at WSBT-TV.

“I just felt so sad, and it was just painful to hear that news,” said Slates. “It just felt like the judicial system had let us down.”

Slates fears Leamon could wind up being released, having served more than 20 years in prison. Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz has told the South Bend Tribune there’s a good chance Leamon could be eligible for parole when he’s re-sentenced. Leamon killed Stowe after learning she was pregnant and refused to get an abortion. She was just 15.