Plot twist: Death row inmate released from prison following DNA test

Douglas Carter, sentenced to death in 1985 for the murder of Eva Olsen, was released on bail after 41 years in prison following DNA tests that ruled out his match to crime scene evidence. The Utah court ordered his release amid evidence of false testimony and negligent investigation.

Douglas Carter, 71, was released on bail from a Utah prison after serving 41 years on death row for the murder of Eva Olsen. The release came after new laboratory tests ruled out his match to crime scene evidence: blood samples found on a door handle and on the murder weapon proved the genetic material did not belong to him. His original 1985 conviction was based on a confession obtained by an investigator and testimony from two people who claimed he boasted about the act, with no physical evidence. The case began to unravel in 2011, when the two key prosecution witnesses were located in Mexico, and they admitted that police investigators paid them, gave them gifts, and threatened deportation to implicate Carter. The Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial, citing failures and misconduct by investigators and prosecutors. His attorneys argued that police concealed evidence pointing to other suspects, including the victim's husband. Judge Derek Pullan approved the release under restrictive conditions, including an electronic ankle monitor and a ban on contacting the victim's family. The victim's daughter-in-law, Theresa Olsen, opposed the release, arguing that a lack of match in tests does not completely rule out his presence at the scene.