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Thomas Creech, Idaho’s longest serving death row inmate denied clemency

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Thomas Creech, who has been Idaho’s longest serving death row inmate was denied clemency after the state parole board denied his request at a hearing on Monday in Boise, for a reduced sentence to avoid the death penalty.  

Creech has been housed in Idaho’s maximum security prison on death row for 40 years.

The now 73 year old was convicted of five murders, to include beating to death fellow inmate David Jensen of Pocatello in 1981.  Creech is also thought to be tied to the murders of several others across the U.S., and earlier this week named as a suspect in the 1974 shooting death of Daniel Walker, who was shot in his van on Interstate 40 in California, according to a New York Post report on Friday.

The Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole was deadlocked in a 3-3 vote, which means that his death sentence will be upheld because a majority vote did not support his request.  The parole board’s seventh member, a retired Idaho State Police Trooper, recused himself from the hearing for undisclosed reasons.

The three unnamed parole board members said in the ruling “We do not believe Mr. Creech is worthy of grace or mercy.”

However, Creech’s attorneys who work for the Federal Defender Services of Idaho said in a statement that they were grateful to the other three parole board members that “chose grace over vengeance” and they have vowed to continue to fight for clemency for Creech.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little, who ultimately has the final say said in a statement that his job is to follow the letter of the law and ensure criminal sentences are carried out as set forth by the courts.

Little said in a statement released Monday evening “Thomas Creech is a convicted serial killer responsible for acts of extreme violence, as governor, I have zero intention of taking any action that would halt or delay Creech’s execution. His lawful and just sentence must be carried out as ordered by the court. Justice has been delayed long enough.”

Creech received his standing death sentence after he pleaded guilty to Jensen’s May 1981 murder; Creech previously said the incident was an act of self-defense.

He has claimed several times, including under oath, to killing as many as 42 people. Creech later recanted that total to 26 murders that he committed, or at least participated in.

Creech was set to be executed by lethal injection in October of 2023 but the Idaho Department of Corrections had difficulty at that time in procuring the drugs necessary to carry out the death sentence. Since then the IDOC has announced that they do have the drugs on hand to execute Creech once the clemency review has been completed and the order is signed by the Governor.

Source: kmvt.com,  Gina Jameson, January 30, 2024

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