LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The mother of a child who was stabbed to death nearly 10 years ago said she is “grateful” the man acquitted of her son’s murder violated his parole and is back in Kentucky custody.
“Honestly, I’m grateful that he violated. I don’t know how he forgot to register. I don’t understand the thought process with that,” said Heather Tipton, whose son Logan was killed in 2015.
Ronald Exantus was charged in 2015 with stabbing and killing Logan Tipton. He was found not guilty of the child’s murder but found guilty on three assault charges for stabbing other family members.
Exantus was released from jail in Kentucky due to a mandatory re-entry supervision program. He requested to do the program in Florida, which the state approved. However, Exantus was arrested in Florida just over one week after his release for failing to register as a felon.
Exantus is now behind bars at the Kentucky State Reformatory in LaGrange.
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“Obviously, we are glad that he has been behind bars. We are glad that Kentucky is going to make him answer for failing to make him register as a felon,” Heather Tipton said.
It has been nearly ten years since Ronald Exantus broke into the Tipton home and forever changed Heather Tipton’s life.
In an interview Wednesday, she made her feelings clear following Exantus’ extradition back to Kentucky from Florida.
Heather Tipton said she found out about Exantus’ release in an alarming way.
“We started receiving Florida-vying text messages. The first one we received said he was no longer on supervision, which kind of freaks us out a little bit,” she said.
Tipton said her daughter then reached out to the Marion County Sheriff, who then had a conversation with the sheriff.
“He was very compassionate and showed a lot of care and concern for the family,” Heather Tipton said.
Police body camera video shows Exantus’ October 9 arrest as Marion County Florida officials said he didn’t register as a felon.
“You do have a warrant for your arrest out of Florida, okay? We’ll talk about it in a minute,” an arresting officer said.
In a press conference Tuesday, Marion County, Florida’s sheriff criticized Exantus after saying he was living across from a local elementary school.
“Because of some stupid, obscure law which Kentucky has, that murder came here. That was his mistake,” said Sheriff Billy Woods of Marion County, Florida.
On Wednesday, Kentucky House Republicans sent a letter to the Kentucky Parole Board urging them to make Exantus ineligible for re-release.
Tipton said while she appreciates the effort, she said it is too little too late.
“Why did it take y’all so long. Why for the past ten years have we not been trying to do what we could to keep him behind bars and then put him in a mental institution if that’s what they want to happen or if that’s what is going to happen?” Heather Tipton said.
Tipton said she won’t quit fighting until justice is served.
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