This tale must have been torn from the pages of a Victor Hugo novel. In 1964, a 19 year-old girl was stabbed to death in a Detroit hotel. That was 42 years ago. The suspect was a 34 year-old man by the name of Thomas Ball. God only knows what led up to that horrific killing. Ball was arrested and convicted and sent to prison. Somewhere along the way Ball was diagnosed with mental illness and was sent to a Michigan psychiatric facility where in 1976 he escaped, never to be seen again. That is until now.
Something very unusual happened, Ball the escaped and convicted murderer changed his ways, to live an unassuming and quiet law abiding family life. He had a long time relationship with a woman who died a natural death last year just outside of Nashville. Finally the long arm of the law caught up with Ball who is now known as Tom Fry.
Ball who is now 76 years-old, has been just scooped up and must face whatever the law puts him through. Before the escape Ball would have been out after serving just four more years before he would have gotten paroled.
I say 30 years, as a fugitive along with the 12 years he’s already served is enough under these circumstances. Somehow I thing being a fugitive somehow helped Ball from re-offending since he had to keep the lowest possible profile.
I say Ball is now redeemed and it’s time to forgive him and allow him to continue as law-abiding citizen. I hope there’s a Governor’s commutation or pardon waiting Ball instead of additional years in prison.
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