Newfield to be paroled
Tim Newfield, convicted of the 1979 kidnapping and murder of Peabody banker Grant Avery, will be released on parole Friday.
He has been serving a life sentence for aggravated burglary, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and second degree murder.
The Kansas Parole board approved Newfield's release at a hearing in May. Newfield has been on a work-release program through the Hutchinson Correctional Facility since October 2001.
Bill Miskell, public information officer for the Kansas Department of Corrections, said Newfield's parole will be supervised out of the Wichita parole office.
"The first step for the offender who has been released is an assessment process," said Miskell. "Among other things, his needs, criminal history, background, and risk factors will be assessed according to a strict formula. After the results are known, the parole officer determines the type and frequency of his supervision."
A special condition of Newfield's parole is that he not return to Marion County without prior approval of his parole officer.
Miskell noted that this condition would be at the discretion of the parole officer. Miskell was not aware of specific conditions under which Newfield might be allowed to return to Marion County.
"What I can tell you is the condition of his release includes what we term a "special condition of supervision." If that condition is violated, sanctions would be imposed by the parole officer," said Miskell. Miskell did indicate what specific sanctions could be applied.
The office of Susan Robson, Marion County Attorney, had not been notified of Newfield's pending release or the special conditions barring him from being in Marion County as of Tuesday morning.
The family of Grant Avery received notification June 21 of Newfield's impending release in a letter from a witness and victim's notification officer.
Avery, 24 years old at the time of his death, was killed July 29, 1979, on what is now 90th Street north of Peabody. Newfield was arrested within a week and charged with the killing. He was tried and convicted in January 1980.
At the time of the murder trial, which was moved to Fort Scott in a change of venue, Newfield threatened to "get the sheriff" when he got out of jail.
June Jost was sheriff at the time, and was the officer who found evidence which led to Newfield's arrest. It was a shotgun shell along the roadside north of Peabody. A massive manhunt had been made by many police officers, but it was Jost who found the evidence.
When asked about Newfield's release this week, Jost said, "No comment."
Many at Peabody, however, are voicing strong opinions on the release, which they oppose.
