Amber Guyger Released From Prison After 7 Years for the Murder of Botham Jean

Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of killing her neighbor Botham Jean inside his own apartment, has been released from prison on parole after serving seven years of her 10-year sentence.

Guyger was released from a Texas prison on October 16, 2026, following a parole decision approved earlier that month. Her release has renewed public discussion about the case and the impact it continues to have on Jean’s family.

The fatal shooting occurred on September 6, 2018, in Dallas, Texas. Guyger, who had returned home after a work shift, entered Jean’s apartment on the floor above her own. She later testified that she mistakenly believed she had entered her apartment and thought Jean was an intruder before shooting him.

Jean, 26, was an accountant originally from St. Lucia. He was at home when the shooting occurred. Guyger was fired from the Dallas Police Department and convicted of murder in October 2019. She was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved her release after reviewing her prison record and participation in rehabilitation programs. The decision came despite objections from Jean’s family, who have continued to deal with the loss of their loved one.

The case drew widespread attention because of the circumstances of the shooting and the questions it raised about police accountability and the criminal justice system. Guyger will serve the remainder of her sentence under parole supervision.

For Jean’s family, her release marks another difficult chapter in a case that has remained in the public eye for years.

Source: PEOPLE