Family Of Murder Victim Philip Swaba Upset By Convict's Early Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Felina Swaba remembers all too well the night 17 years ago when her father was killed. She saw it on the news.
Her father, Philip, was a cab driver who picked up three homeless men in 2002.
"You know it's not good when they're showing crime scene tape and your dad's cab and you know it's your dad's cab because the little bear on his meter," she told CBS4 partner KKTV.
The men directed him to a remote road where they stabbed him several times and slit his throat. They walked away with $16.
Two men were sentenced to life without parole. The third, Christopher Gray, pleaded guilty to second degree murder, saying he didn't hurt Swaba. He was sentenced to 25 years.
"The amount of blood that was spilt that night, it needed justice done," Felina said.
The Colorado State Parole Board says Gray now meets the standards to be reintegrated into the community. He could be released as early as next month.
That doesn't sit well with Felina.
"You can't forgive something like this. I'm not asking that he get the death penalty because that was never on the table. I am asking that he do his mandatory time," she said.
