Abuse Victim And Convicted Murderer Released After 18 Years In Prison

When she was only 18, Stacey Lannert shot and killed her father after nearly 10 years of severe abuse. After a jury of her peers convicted her of murder, the judge sentenced her to life in prison with no parole.

After petitioning to three Missouri governors for clemency, she lost all hope of ever getting out. But finally, former Gov. Matt Blunt commuted her life sentence to a lesser sentence, in turn, released her from prison after 18 years.

Stacey Suffered Severe Abuse For Years

Gov. Matt Blunt reviewed extensive evidence proving Stacey's father, Thomas Lannert, abused her for at least 10 years. She told NBC, the abuse started at the age of 8. She recalled a moment when her father told her that her mother knew about the abuse and didn't care. It led Stacey to believe no one would help her, so she should just stay quiet.

On July 4, 1990, after her father passed out drunk on the living room sofa, she shot her father twice, killing him instantly. After hours of interrogation, she finally admitted to the police she killed him because she hated him, following up with "he needed to die."

After all these years, St Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch still refuses to believe her sexual abuse story and believes Lannert is a manipulative liar, who killed her father for her inheritance.

"I have not changed my mind at all about Stacey Lannert. She murdered her father for his inheritance, and solely for his inheritance," McCulloch said.

He pointed out just before she killed her father, she forged his name on checks and used his credit cards. She knew she would inherit his estate, valued at $500,000. He doesn't believe she was ever sexually abused. He thinks she used that as a defense in the murder trial. The former prosecutor expressed disappointment in the governor's decision to release her from prison.

As for his claim Stacey spent "wildly" just before killing her father, Lannert denies that idea altogether. She said her father knew about the checks and credit card spending, She said the only reason she killed him was to stop the abuse and to protect her younger sister, Christy.

"Money had nothing to do with the reason why he had to die," Stacey said.

Lannert Says No One Would Help Her

Stacey said she just wanted Thomas to leave her and Christy alone. It wasn't she wanted him to die, but since no one offered a helping hand, she had to take action to protect them from the abuse.

Christy Lannert was in first grade when her father started beating her. By the age of 12, he was forcing her to drink with him so he could take advantage of her. The more he would drink, the more violent he would get. He would rape and beat them often when he was under the influence of alcohol. To this day, the sisters avoid the house they grew up because it brings up too many painful memories. Stacey said her father raped her for nine years, as often as three to four times a week.

"Any man who can hold his daughter down and rape her is evil. And nobody stopped him. No one."

The sister's babysitter suspected they were being abused, but did not report it or tell anyone. Deb Underwood, the sister's mother, had no idea how bad things were for her daughters in her ex-husband's home. If she had known, she said she would not have let him have custody of them --she would have put a stop to it immediately.

"I feel like I failed to protect my children … and I will never ever forget that. I will never live this down no matter what," Underwood said.

McCulloch suggested if things were so bad for her, she could have left home. After all, she was 18. ABC News points out, she did leave, several times. She only returned because her sister, Christy called crying about how bad things were at home. She begged her father to let Christy live with her mom, but he refused.

One month later, Stacey killed her father. After the first shot, her father stood up, asking her to call for help. She recalled thinking he didn't deserve to live because he will continue to abuse them, so she shot him again.

In 2009, Stacey Tasted Freedom

Finally, after 18 years behind bars, the governor released Stacey from prison. She said she found freedom in prison, staying out of trouble and avoiding conflict. Lannert attended therapy sessions and began to heal from the years of abuse.

Since her release, she dedicated her life to being a domestic violence advocate and speaking up for those who are voiceless. According to NBC, Christy and Stacey created a nonprofit company, Healing Sisters, to give a helping hand to sexual abuse survivors.

"It still affects me, it's always going to affect me but in this instance, it's used for positive, it's used for healing, so in ways that helps me heal," Stacey said. "Because the more that we discuss what we've been through, the more we talk about it, the more that people accept us for who we are and what we've been through, the more that we heal. The less that that abuse has that hold on us. And so I find healing and freedom and being able to help others."

Stacey Lannert was released from prison in 2009. Since then, she's written several books about her journey to healing, and dedicated her life to helping as many people as she can.

Even though the prosecutor that tried her case still doesn't believe her abuse story, she doesn't let it bother her. The evidence was there, and it led to her release from prison.

Do you think she was abused? One thing is for sure, it sounds like she's making the most of her second chance. Don't forget to subscribe to read more of my stories.