Victim's Family Speaks Out After Former Carthage Mortician Bernie Tiede Set Free
EAST TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Bernie Tiede's story was blown up on the silver screen in 2012 in the Richard Linklater film "Bernie." Now the former undertaker, who's served 17-years of a life sentence for killing wealthy East Texas widow Marjorie Nugent is being released.
Nugent's body was found in a freezer in her Carthage home, nine months after her Tiede shot her in the back in 1996.
His attorney said Tiede deserved a lighter sentence, in part, because he was sexually abused as a child.
Conditions of his release include counseling for sexual abuse. He will also live in an apartment provided by Austin filmmaker Linklater.
Linklater told the media Tiede would be "very welcome" to live with him and that the two had developed a friendship. Linklater told the court he would report it immediately if Bernie violated any rules of probation.
Tiede also must maintain employment, submit to and pay for random drug testing, live in a designated residence, not have contact with the victim's family and not possess a firearm.
"Bernie" was a largely sympathetic portrait of the killer, and showed Nugent to be unlikable.
Nugent's granddaughter, Shanna Nugent spoke to KRLD's Barbara Schwarz about the latest developments.
Shana Nugent talks about Bernie Tiede
"I feel like were forgetting my grandmother in all of this. I miss her every day and want justice for her - and this didn't feel like justice," said Shana Nuent. "This isn't fiction for me and my family, this is real life."
Nugent says she would like to see Tiede spend the rest of his sentence in prison.
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