CARMICHAEL, Calif. — It's been 25 years since Andrew Crater and his crime partner robbed and assaulted a group of people, resulting in the murder of 29-year-old James "Jim" Pantages, a local musician and beloved director at Channel 13 KOVR.
Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom is granting clemency to Crater and 20 other inmates. Crater didn't pull the trigger, but he did supply the gun, the getaway car, and was responsible for planning the robbery.
"Even though he didn't pull the trigger, he's still involved. He still killed him, and Jim's dead," said Christine Stranger, a former colleague of Pantages. "He can't get his life back. So, I guess in that way I feel like he should still be in jail. But I honestly...I don't know."
Crater was 20 at the time of the crime in 1995. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. But now with the clemency, there's a good chance that he'll soon see the light of day.
"Initially, I was shocked and appalled that he would let him go. I'm not really sure exactly how I feel about it," Stranger said.
Crater is eligible for a parole suitability hearing in 2020, which means he could potentially be released after serving 25 years in prison.
"He was still so young. He never had a chance to get married or have kids or see what his band career would be like or grow old. He never got the chance to do that and that's what was taken away from him, is his chance to live his life. And that's the part that always made me feel sad," Stranger said.
Continue the conversation with Kevin on Facebook.