Governor Newsom Reverses Parole Board's Decision to Parole Convicted Murderer Jason Adam Greenwell
Author: District Attorney
Date: 3/30/2022 5:33 PM
After DA Dow urged in writing, Governor Newsom reversed the Board of Parole Hearings' earlier decision to release Jason Adam Greenwell who was convicted and sentenced to prison for the 2010 brutal murder of 15-year-old Dystiny Myers.
District Attorney Dan Dow announced today that he is pleased with Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to reverse the Board of Parole Hearings' November 18, 2021, decision to grant Jason Adam Greenwell parole. Greenwell was convicted in 2013 based on his plea to second-degree murder for his participation, along with four other individuals, in the horrific murder of 15-year-old Dystiny Myers.
While the motive remains murky as to why Greenwell and his four accomplices decided to murder Dystiny, it was apparent they were all heavily involved in the use of methamphetamine. Dystiny was brutally beaten, taped to a chair, then removed, placed in a bag, thrown in the back of a truck, taken to a remote area, dumped into a shallow grave, and set on fire. Her partially burned remains were discovered by a CalFire employee investigating a reported grass fire.
On December 21, 2021, DA Dow wrote a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to use his authority to reverse the Board of Parole Hearings' decision to allow Greenwell to be released on parole.
Today, the District Attorney received the Governor’s written decision in which he reversed the Board of Parole Hearings’ decision.
"I am grateful for Governor Newsom’s decision to reverse the Board of Parole Hearings’ decision,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “We agree with the Governor’s conclusion that Greenwell currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time.”
In Governor Newsom's written decision, he explained in part:
I have carefully examined the record for evidence that Mr. Greenwell’s insight and self-awareness have developed sufficiently to minimize his risk factors. Unfortunately, I find that Mr. Greenwell’s discussion of the causative factors for his involvement in the crime indicate gaps in insight that bear on his current risk level.
Mr. Greenwell and his crime partners brutally killed a vulnerable teenaged girl. More than a decade after the crime, however, Mr. Greenwell describes his role in the murder as if he stumbled upon the crime and aimlessly joined in. He admitted to the parole board in 2021 that he left the scene of the crime briefly but chose to return: “I let go, I got up and, uh, stepped back.... And, and as soon as he began hitting her with the bat, I took off…I just, I took off out of the room. And, um, for whatever reason, I went back in the room, I, I don't know why, but I went back into the room...”.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office routinely assigns a Deputy District Attorney to appear at scheduled parole hearings to represent the interests of victims and the People of the State of California. District Attorney Dow is committed to ensuring that the impact of the crime on the victims/survivors is not forgotten and is properly considered at every stage of the criminal proceeding, including post sentencing matters such as parole hearings.
To view the Governor’s written decision, click here.
Please contact Assistant District Attorney Eric J. Dobroth at 805.781.5819 with any questions.
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