Man convicted in Dystiny Myers murder to be paroled
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – One of the men convicted in the 2010 murder of 15-year-old Dystiny Myers has been granted parole.
Jason Adam Greenwell, 32, of Nipomo was convicted in the murder of Myers near Santa Margarita more than a decade ago.
Greenwell, who was 20 at the time of the crime, testified in the case against his four codefendants. He received a lighter sentence of 15 to life in prison and was convicted of second-degree murder.
Four others charged in her death received life sentences. Ty Michael Hill, Frank Jacob York, and Rhonda Wisto are serving sentences of life without the possibility of parole. Cody Miller, who received the same sentence, committed suicide while in prison in 2016.
Myers' murder made national headlines due to the violent and disturbing nature of the crime.
The teen girl from Santa Maria was beaten and buried in a shallow grave near Santa Margarita Lake. Her killers then set a fire in the area. Her body was found burned and tied up in that grave.
According to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office, at the time of Greenwell's conviction, those convicted of murder were not eligible to receive credit for good behavior. That meant that Greenwell would have to serve at least 15 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
New legislation passed in 2016 allowed for those convicted of violent crimes to have their sentences reduced.
District attorney Dan Dow said this was Greenwell's first parole hearing. Despite no previous convictions and good behavior while incarcerated, Dow said he strongly disagrees with the decision to grant Greenwell's parole.
Dow said his office plans to "seek review and repeal of the Parole Board’s decision in this case." Members of Myers' family attended the parole hearing and objected to Greenwell's release, Dow said.
