IDAHO, USA — Idaho's longest-serving death row inmate, Thomas Creech, has been denied life in prison and had his death sentence upheld by the Commission of Pardons and Parole on Monday.
The commission voted three for and three against commutation, and as the decision was deadlocked, Creech's request for life in prison was denied.
"If the Commission cannot uphold the death penalty in this case, then the death penalty means nothing in the state of Idaho," the commission stated in their decision.
The Ada County Prosecuting Attorney's Office thanked victims' families, investigators and the team assembled to work on the case.
"Seeking the death penalty is not an easy decision or process. We continue to standby the decision to seek the death penalty in this case," the Ada County Prosecutor's statement read.
The commissioners for and against both cited that they did not believe Creech was worthy of mercy. However, the three in favor of commuting his sentence stated the amount of time from the last crime and commentary from former sentencing judge, Judge Robert Newhouse.
The commissioners in favor of upholding the death sentence stated the cold-blooded nature of one of the murders, the amount of murders Creech has been convicted of and the belief that he is not truly capable of remorse.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued a statement following the decision on Monday, Jan. 29:
“As Governor, my job is to follow the law and ensure that lawful criminal sentences are carried out. Thomas Creech is a convicted serial killer responsible for acts of extreme violence. Our court system convicted Creech, and he was lawfully sentenced to death. As Governor, I have zero intention of taking any action that would halt or delay Creech’s execution. His lawful and just sentence must be carried out as ordered by the court. Justice has been delayed long enough,”
Creech, now 73, was convicted of killing two people in Valley County in 1974 and sentenced to death. That sentence was later reduced to life in prison.
In 1981, while serving his sentence for those murders, Creech confessed to killing fellow inmate Dale Jensen.
He was sentenced to death for that murder and has been on death row for 40 years. Creech was also recently identified by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department as a suspect in the murder of Daniel Walker on Oct. 1, 1974.
As previously reported by KTVB, Creech had a clemency hearing on Friday, Jan. 19, where his legal team asked that his sentence be reduced to life in prison instead of the death penalty.
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