Thomas Koonce Granted Parole After 31 Years In Prison For Murder

BOSTON (CBS) - A man convicted of murder will soon be out of prison. The Massachusetts Parole Board voted to grant Thomas Koonce release after Governor Charlie Baker commuted his life sentence.

Koonce spent three decades behind bars for shooting out a car window in New Bedford and killing Mark Santos in 1987.

The Santos family tried to fight his commutation, but on Tuesday, the board granted Koonce parole with conditions including a four month stay in a transitional home.