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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held parole hearings on Jan. 28-30 that featured four Chilton County offenders over the three days. Three of the four offenders seeking parole were denied by the board, and all three are in prison for murder in the county.

On Jan. 28, David Cory Nix was denied parole by the board but received a reset date of Jan. 1, 2030. Hal Walker, Nix’s attorney, spoke in favor of his client receiving parole, and Ky’Toria Lawson and Jackie Fowler of the Attorney General’s Office each spoke against Nix receiving parole.

Nix is currently serving a 99-year sentence for Murder in Chilton County after being sentenced on Dec. 14, 2000. Nix has served 24 years, eight months and three days of his sentence with 194 days of jail credit included, and he has a minimum release date of May 30, 2099.

On Jan. 29, the board denied parole for two Chilton County offenders involved in the same crime in 2009 that left a young man dead. Christopher Alan Kroeger and Joshua David Ready were arrested and charged for murder in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Steven Dorough at a home in Verbena.

First, Kroeger was denied parole by the board, but he received a reset date of Jan. 1, 2030. Alma Kroeger, the defendant’s mother, spoke in favor of parole being granted, but Peter Dorough, the victim’s father, Wanda Miller and India Eaves of the Attorney General’s Office and 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney CJ Robinson spoke against parole being granted.

Kroeger is currently serving a 35-year sentence for Murder in Chilton County after being sentenced on Feb. 8, 2012. Kroeger has served 15 years, one month and 10 days of his sentence with 774 days of jail credit included, and he has a minimum release date of Dec. 24, 2044.

Later on Jan. 29, the board denied parole for Ready, but he received a reset date of Jan. 1, 2030. Jane Ready, the defendant’s mother, and Elizabeth Ready, the defendant’s sister, spoke in favor of parole being granted, but Peter Dorough, the victim’s fathers, Wanda Miller and India Eaves of the Attorney General’s Office and 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney CJ Robinson spoke against parole being granted.

Ready is currently serving a 30-year sentence for Murder in Chilton County after being sentenced on Dec. 14, 2011. Ready has served 15 years, one month and six days of his sentence with 714 days of jail credit included, and he has a minimum release date of Dec. 25, 2039.

Lastly, on Jan. 30, Mitchell Dean Martin was granted parole by the board with special conditions to live in an approved halfway house, wear an ankle monitor and complete a drug assessment upon release. Martin was serving a 20-year sentence for a Receiving Stolen Property I arrest in Baldwin County on May 24, 2007, and was serving concurrent sentences in Chilton County as well — Theft of Property II (10 years) and Fraud Use/Representation of Credit Card (10 years).

At the moment of his release, Martin had served 18 years, four months and 15 days of his sentence with 245 days of jail credit included, and he had a minimum release date of September 18, 2026 prior to his release.