A Wisconsin sheriff is defending his decision to hire a man convicted of killing and dismembering his girlfriend nearly 40 years ago.
Sheboygan County Sheriff Todd Priebe said Rafael Macias is grateful to be given a second chance. Priebe said Macias had been working as a contractor on the sheriff's department radio system for about 10 years before he was hired in 2011. The sheriff said Macias was upfront about his conviction.
Macias was a 20-year-old airman at Carswell Air Force Base — now known as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth — when he pleaded guilty to killing and dismembering Julia Adams in 1977. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wednesday that through his faith, anger management counseling and maturity, he has become a different man.
Priebe said Macias is a rehabilitation "success story."
