Fans of 'Kids Behind Bars' are wondering where James Michael Wiley is these days and what precisely he did to end up with a existence sentence at 15.
It's a story that might be familiar to true crime aficionados: Man kills family, guy sets area ablaze, guy receives a life sentence. Except on the subject of James Michael Wiley, the topic of a Kids Behind Bars: Life or Parole particular, the person is just a boy — aged 15 years outdated.
Article continues beneath commercial
A&E's docuseries revisits the circumstances of stripling offenders who have been sentenced to lifestyles phrases sooner than the Supreme Court made up our minds that the punishment used to be cruel and atypical for children and teens. While some of these offenders is also re-sentenced to life, others are instantly launched or granted clemency.
The collection' sixth episode looks at the case of James Michael Wiley. But what did Wiley do and where is he now? Keep studying to find out.
Article continues below advertisement
Why was James Michael Wiley sentenced to lifestyles behind bars?
On November 24, 1990 in Thermopolis, Wyoming — a town of 3,800 easiest recognized for it mineral sizzling springs — a 15-year-old James Wiley killed his step-mom, Becky Wiley, along with his 3 brothers, then set the circle of relatives's mobile home ablaze.
Article continues below advertisement
He used to be stated to have broken into a swimming pool and stolen some petty cash and sweet the night time before, prior to attending wrestling apply the next morning in wonderful spirits. "He said he felt good. He ran two miles in 13 or 14 minutes," his coach mentioned on the time.
"He talked about an upcoming wrestling match in Powell. He was a real hard-working wrestler. He had set goals to be state champion," he went on. "He probably would have been a state champion before he graduated." After follow, friends allegedly dropped Wiley off at his space and left.
Article continues below advertisement
That's where he and Becky supposedly were given into an issue and Wiley picked up a shotgun — firing it first at his stepmother, then two of his brothers. He ran out of ammunition when he were given to his heart brother, 10-year-old Willy. "He reloaded the weapon and went to look for Willy," according to the complaint.
Article continues under commercial
After taking pictures him too, Wiley tried to begin a hearth in the lounge. An aerosol can was the accelerant that aided his mission to burn the home down, and it used to be at this level that he drove greater than a mile away to phone firefighters from a chum's house.
James Wiley escaped from prison 5 years after his first crime.
Residents of Thermopolis used to be surprised by the crime that happened in their quiet neighborhood. Some neighbors claimed that he was once a cheerful kid, "always nice, had a cute smile," whilst others — especially his stepmom Becky's sister — have always thought he was once "a bully."
Article continues underneath commercial
"She said, 'If I just keep showing him love, he'll come around....'" Becky stated of her sister's demeanor toward Wiley. "He came around all right — with a gun." Judge William Taylor agreed with Becky's sister and chose to take a look at the adolescence — who at the start pleaded blameless by means of reason why of psychological defect of illness — as an grownup.
Article continues under commercial
Wiley changed his plea to responsible on three counts of first-degree homicide, one rely of second-degree murder and arson. Judge Taylor sentenced Wiley to three lifestyles sentences and one 20-year-to-life sentence, to run concurrently — plus 18 to two decades for arson.
But that's a ways from where Wiley's tale ends. Years after the murders and arson, in 1995, James Michael Wiley, then 20, used to be arrested after managing to flee from the Wyoming State Penitentiary for over 72 hours and making his approach the entire solution to a cafe in Summit County, Utah. The get away led the already eternally-sentenced guy to face new fees: this time, of get away and auto robbery.
Article continues below commercial
Where is James Michael Wiley now? Is he still behind bars?
The Supreme Court ruling we mentioned above has discovered that juveniles sentenced to lifestyles in jail should be able for parole after serving 25 years. Wiley, who has been in the back of bars since 1991 is way past that time and is now in quest of parole.
Article continues below commercial
At the request of Hot Springs County Attorney Jill Logan, county commissioners have appointed a special prosecutor to move the case — and that special prosecutor is a Thermopolis native himself. Both Logan and the prosecutor believe Wiley's appeal for parole will have to be brushed aside completely.
And that doesn't bode too smartly for James Michael Wiley, now 44, whose parole listening to is set to be held in Hot Springs County in a few weeks, on June 26.
Get an inside look at James' case on Kids Behind Bars: Life or Parole, which airs Tuesday, June 11 at 10 p.m. on A&E.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfoLalv4ybnKGhnpl6o63RrGSjmZ2awA%3D%3D