In an amazing series of events, Debra Milke is free after spending 22 years on death row for conspiring to kill her 4-year-old son. On Monday, an Arizona judge ruled that Milke is innocent and dismissed charges that she conspired with two men to kill her son.
On December 1, 1989, Debra’s son, Christopher, asked to see Santa Claus at a local mall. Milke’s roommate, James Styers, offered to take the boy. Instead of going to the mall, Styers and his friend, Roger Scott, took the boy to a remote ravine and shot him in the head three times.
Styers and Scott were convicted of murder and are currently on death row. Both men have refused to testify against Milke.
Although Milke maintains her innocence, Detective Armando Saldate claimed that Milke confessed to the crime. There were no witness or recordings of the alleged confession. Prosecutors said Milke was motivated by a $5,000 life insurance policy taken out on the child.
Adding to the doubt surrounding Milke’s reported confession, Detective Saldate had a long history of lying under oath and misconduct.
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