Location: Dallas, Texas
Date: September 6, 2018
Convicted: Amber Guyger, former Dallas police officer
Charges: Murder (convicted October 2019, sentenced to 10 years)
Status: Released on parole October 16, 2026; under supervision until her sentence ends
Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murdering Botham Jean in his own Dallas, Texas, apartment in 2018, was released from prison on parole on Friday, October 16, 2026. Jean, a 26-year-old accountant, was shot and killed by Guyger after she entered his apartment while off duty, saying she believed it was her own home.
Guyger walked out of a state prison in Gatesville about two weeks after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved her early release. She had served roughly seven years of a 10-year sentence. For Jean's family and the people who supported them through a long fight for accountability, the release has reopened a painful chapter.
Who Was Botham Jean?
Botham Jean was 26 years old and worked as an accountant in Dallas. According to court documents cited by FOX 4, he graduated at the top of his class in Castries, St. Lucia, and moved to the United States to study at Harding University in Arkansas. His family has said he was a worship leader in the international Church of Christ and served at the Dallas West Church of Christ.
Since his death, his name has been attached to lasting changes in Dallas and Texas. A stretch of Lamar Street near Dallas police headquarters was renamed Botham Jean Boulevard, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported. In 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Bo's Law, which requires officers to keep body cameras running for the full length of an investigation, according to FOX 4.
What Happened in Dallas in 2018?
On September 6, 2018, Guyger returned home to the South Side Flats apartment complex after a long shift. She lived on the third floor; Jean lived one floor above her, on the fourth. Guyger later testified that she went to the wrong floor, entered Jean's apartment believing it was hers, and fired after seeing a man inside, thinking he was an intruder. Jean was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Guyger was arrested days later and was fired by the Dallas Police Department later that month. At trial, a crime scene reconstruction expert disputed her account. A Dallas County jury convicted her of murder on October 1, 2019, and sentenced her to 10 years in prison. Her later appeals were unsuccessful, NBC 5 reported.
Why Was Amber Guyger Granted Parole?
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles approved Guyger's parole on Thursday, October 1, 2026, seven years to the day after her conviction, according to CBS Texas. Reports from FOX 4, KERA and NBC 5 said the board listed three reasons: her record showed no documented pattern of violent or assaultive arrests or convictions, she had a satisfactory adjustment in prison, and she took part in programs from her treatment plan aimed at helping her find and keep full-time work.
This was not her first attempt. The board denied her parole in October 2024, after she had served half of her sentence. At that time, Jean's family, the Dallas County District Attorney's Office and thousands of people who signed an online petition opposed her release.
When Was She Released and What Are Her Parole Conditions?
Texas Department of Criminal Justice records show Guyger was released on Friday, October 16. FOX 4 reported she left the Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville before 10 a.m.
CBS Texas reported that she will remain under strict supervision until her sentence expires in 2029. Citing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, CBS Texas said she is not allowed to live in Dallas County, contact Jean's family or Dallas police officers, or leave Texas without approval. Her supervision also includes regular check-ins, home visits, travel limits and work requirements. Her attorney, Robert Rodgers, told CBS Texas that she is "still very remorseful" and has a place to live and a job lined up.
What Has Botham Jean's Family Said?
The Jean family has said little in public since the parole decision. In a statement reported by CBS Texas, the family said it "respectfully requests privacy at this time." A family statement quoted by FOX 4 described the past eight years as "incredibly traumatic and painful" for them.
Lee Merritt, an attorney who previously represented the family, said he was "deeply disappointed" by the board's decision. "A 10-year sentence was already a fraction of what was lost," he said, according to NBC 5 and CBS Texas. In remarks reported by KERA, he added that "Justice cannot be selective."
What Police and Prosecutors Have Said
The Dallas Police Department said, "Our thoughts remain with the Jean family and all those impacted by his loss," and noted that parole decisions are made by the state parole board, not the department, NBC 5 reported. The Dallas County District Attorney's Office declined to comment, according to CBS Texas.
What Happens Next
Guyger will serve the rest of her sentence under parole supervision. Separately, in 2024 a federal civil jury found her liable in a lawsuit brought by Jean's family and ordered her to pay $98.6 million in damages, NBC 5 reported. Her criminal defense attorney said at the time that she could not afford a lawyer for that civil trial. The City of Dallas was first named in the suit but was later removed.
Timeline of the Botham Jean Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 6, 2018 | Botham Jean is shot and killed in his apartment at the South Side Flats in Dallas by off-duty officer Amber Guyger. |
| September 2018 | Guyger is arrested days later and fired by the Dallas Police Department later that month. |
| October 1, 2019 | A Dallas County jury convicts Guyger of murder; she is sentenced to 10 years in prison. |
| 2021 | Gov. Greg Abbott signs Bo's Law on police body cameras. |
| 2024 | A federal civil jury orders Guyger to pay $98.6 million to Jean's family. |
| October 2024 | The Texas parole board denies Guyger's first request for parole. |
| October 1, 2026 (Thursday) | The parole board approves Guyger's early release. |
| October 16, 2026 (Friday) | Guyger is released from the Crain Unit in Gatesville, Texas. |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Amber Guyger released from prison?
She was released on parole on Friday, October 16, 2026, from the Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville, Texas, according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records reported by FOX 4 and NBC 5.
How long did Amber Guyger serve?
She served about seven years of the 10-year sentence she received after her October 2019 murder conviction.
Can Amber Guyger live in Dallas or contact the Jean family?
No. CBS Texas, citing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, reported that her parole conditions bar her from living in Dallas County and from contacting Jean's family or Dallas police officers.
How old was Botham Jean?
Botham Jean was 26 years old when he was killed in his Dallas apartment on September 6, 2018.
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