Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murdering Botham Jean in his own apartment, was released from prison on parole Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, after serving seven years of her 10-year sentence. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles granted her release, according to CBS News.
Guyger, now 38, was convicted of murder on Oct. 1, 2019, for the September 2018 shooting death of Jean, a 26-year-old accountant. Her parole approval came on Oct. 1, 2026, roughly two weeks before her release, NBC News reported. She had been denied parole once before, in September 2024.
Parole Terms And Sentence Details
Under the terms of her release, Guyger will remain under strict supervision until her sentence expires in 2029. Conditions include regular check-ins, travel restrictions, home visits and employment requirements, according to CBS News.
She is barred from living in Dallas County, contacting Jean’s family or Dallas police officers, or leaving Texas without approval. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles said Guyger earned release because she maintained a satisfactory institutional adjustment, took part in programs meant to improve her employment prospects, and had no documented pattern of violent or assaultive arrests or convictions, NBC News reported.
One of Guyger’s attorneys, Robert L. Rogers, said of his client, “She’s been remorseful. She’s stayed remorseful. She’s still remorseful.”
Background Of The Botham Jean Case
Jean was shot and killed on Sept. 6, 2018, while watching television and eating ice cream in his own living room. Guyger, a four-year Dallas police veteran who was in uniform but off duty, lived one floor below him. She testified at trial that she mistakenly went to the wrong floor of their apartment complex, found her key did not work because she was at the wrong door, and shot Jean after it pushed open, believing he was a burglar and fearing for her life, according to NBC News.
Guyger was fired from the Dallas Police Department after the shooting. She is white and Jean was Black, and the case drew protests and renewed national debate over racial bias and excessive force in policing. During her trial, Guyger apologized, and Jean’s teenage brother, Brandt Jean, hugged her in court and said he forgave her.
Jean, who was originally from St. Lucia, worked as an accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Dallas. In 2021, the Dallas street where the shooting occurred, home to Dallas police headquarters, was renamed Botham Jean Boulevard.
Reaction From Jean’s Family And Officials
In a statement, Jean’s family wrote, “Two days ago, the family of Botham Jean lovingly remembered their son and brother and celebrated his life on what would have been his birthday. Today, it was reported that Amber Guyger will be paroled and will serve the remainder of her sentence under supervision. The family of Botham Jean respectfully requests privacy at this time as they process this development and continue to navigate their grief.”
Lee Merritt, an attorney who previously represented the Jean family, said he was deeply disappointed by the decision. “Botham’s family and the community strongly opposed this parole. They stood up again and again to ask that the full sentence be served.”
A 10-year sentence was already a fraction of what was lost. Releasing Ms. Guyger after seven years makes that loss feel even smaller in the eyes of the system. “It is not,” Merritt said.
The Dallas Police Department said it understands the decision may bring renewed attention and emotion, adding that its thoughts remain with the Jean family. The department noted that parole decisions rest solely with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and fall outside its own authority. The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, which opposed Guyger’s release when she was denied parole in 2024, declined to comment on this year’s approval, according to NBC News.
What’s Next
Guyger will remain under the parole board’s supervision through 2029, when her 10-year sentence is set to fully expire. Her movements, employment and contact with others will continue to be monitored under the conditions set by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
More True Crime news from Total Apex Entertainment.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
