OLEAN, N.Y. (WKBW) — Convicted killer Edward Kindt has been released from Elmira Correctional Facility, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Kindt, who was 15 at the time, raped and murdered Penny Brown on Mother's Day of 1999 while she was jogging along the Pennsy Trail in Salamanca.
Kindt was sentenced to nine years to life which was the maximum sentence for someone under 16 at the time. Since then, lawmakers have passed Penny's Law, which increased the second-degree murder sentence for anyone under 16 to 15 years to life.
Kindt has been denied parole several times, but his latest request was granted by the New York State Parole Board. He becomes a free man at the age of 39, the same age Brown was when she was killed.
But 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley spend Thursday in Salamanca where community members remain on edge.
“That was a terrible crime that he committed and how can he be released,” declared Sandy Magiera, mayor, City of Salamanca.
The Salamanca community is reeling over the release of Kindt. And even though he is now in Dutchess County, more than five hours from Salamanca, the mayor tells me her community is still very worried the convicted killer could eventually return.
“That's what most people here are worried about, but we don't want him back here. We don't want him in our city — but how do you keep him away?”, remarked Mayor Magiera.
The mayor says Kindt's mother still lives in the Seneca Nation, but the Senecas have already banned him from their territory.
“If he does come back, what happens? Who removes him from the territory,” questioned Mayor Magiera.
“A killer has to be a monster,” commented Gene Puvel.
Puvel serves as president of the Salamanca Area Senior Center. He said he never wants the convicted killer back in this community.
“Would you want him in your neighborhood? I don’t,” stated Puvel. “I had a house that I rented which was next door to where he lived. I don’t know the fella — I don't want to know the fella.”
The mayor tells 7 News she remembers well the time Penny Brown was murdered along the walking path and how deeply it affected her family and this community.
“That's where my first thoughts were was to her parents because her parents had tried so hard to keep him in prison for so many years — letter writing — campaigning to keep him there, so that's where my first thoughts went to,” replied Mayor Magiera.
Bradleigh Brown, daughter of Penny Brown, said the New York State Parole Board's decision to release Kindt is both "violating" to her family and "terrifying to the community."
"Through his transcripts, it's always been no remorse shown — violent in prison, drug use. He was violent as a child. I've learned nothing that would show there is any change, any healing — any difference in the wiring of this human being," said Brown.
Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong signed an Executive Order on Tuesday to ban Kindt from all Seneca Nation territories for at least a year and sent a letter to the New York State Parole Board which said:
“We do not believe that this individual should be allowed to re-enter the same community that was traumatized by his heinous actions,” President Armstrong said. “The State Parole Board’s decision to grant his freedom is a potential threat to many vulnerable, innocent people. We cannot allow the safety of the Seneca people and our community to be threatened or compromised in any way.”
According to the Seneca Nation, if Kindt returns to its territories he will be removed with the cooperation of local law enforcement.
“We will always act in the interest of our people’s safety. The scars inflicted on our community by this individual’s criminal actions will only be reopened by his return to our territory. Our people will not be forced to live in fear.”
It was initially reported that Kindt would be released from Elmira Correctional Facility on Wednesday, but plans were delayed. According to the DOCCS website he was released Thursday.
It remains unclear where Kindt has been released, as the DOCCS website lists his county of commitment as "Cattaraugus" but State Senator George Borrello issued a statement that said he was informed that Kindt was released to an undisclosed location in Dutchess County.
“In a call this morning with the Department of Correction and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci, I learned that killer Edward Kindt has been released on parole to an undisclosed location in Duchess County. While I am glad he has not been released into the community where he caused so much pain, this sexual predator and murderer remains a threat to the safety of all New Yorkers and should be spending the rest of his natural life behind bars."
There was initially word that he would be sent to Olean upon his release but 7 News spoke to Olean Mayor William Aiello on Wednesday who said he learned Kindt would not be released to his community.
"It created a panic in the community — thinking this individual was going to get out and placed in our community."
Olean was initially selected for Kindt's release because the state Parole Board contacted the New Lantern Motel, just outside the City of Olean, to give Kindt a temporary place to stay as part of his re-entry program.
But 7 News spoke to the motel owner on Wednesday who said they told the parole board he was not allowed to come.
“When we realized who it was, and what the offense was, we contacted parole and let them know that he was not allowed to come here."
