Convicted Murderer Jailed Again On Probation Violation

DENVER (CBS4) - Garry Izor, a convicted murderer, has been arrested and jailed again on a probation violation.

The convicted killer is in the Denver jail after failing a test which indicated he had alcohol in his system.

Izor killed Franktown liquor store owner Gene Willis Dec. 7, 1977 during a robbery. He was imprisoned and was eventually released to community corrections in 1998. During that time he was hospitalized and then failed to return to community placement. That was considered escape and Izor was sentenced to an additional 24 years behind bars.

In 2011, then Gov. Bill Ritter commuted Izor's sentence, freeing him from prison about five years early. Ritter said Izor had already served his time for the murder and he was released from prison early on the escape charge.

Denver jail officials say Izor has been in custody since Feb. 20 on a probation violation. No further information was available from the jail.

Contacted by phone Monday, Ritter said he was aware of Izor being jailed again.

"It's unfortunate that he used alcohol," Ritter said. "I still believe in a very real way that commuting his sentence was the right decision."

Izor was one of 29 convicts who were either pardoned by Ritter or had their sentences commuted just before Ritter left office.

- Written by Brian Maass for CBSDenver.com