Murderer faces parole session today

The Daily Inter Lake

Convicted murderer Jerry Forsyth will appear this afternoon before the Board of Pardons and Parole at the state prison in Deer Lodge.

His last parole hearing was five years ago.

Today's hearing originally was scheduled June 28, but was delayed at the request of his lawyer, according to the state Board of Pardons and Parole.

Forsyth originally was convicted in December 1985 for the 1979 murder of his wife, Karen. Forsyth, who has spent the last 23 years in prison, still maintains his innocence.

Forsyth stood trial three times for Karen's murder. He was convicted in his third trial and sentenced to 110 years in prison.

Karen Forsyth was shot to death at the couple's Kalispell bowling alley, where her husband was found with a superficial head injury. He said an intruder had shot his wife, knocked him out and robbed their business.

However, an employee of the bowling alley, facing an unrelated charge, later testified that he and Forsyth has planned the murder, executed it and then covered it up.

Last-minute letters to the parole board may be faxed to the State Board of Pardons and Parole at (406) 846-3512.