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Man who used axe to kill his parents and two siblings set free under new policies signed by Tim Walz
Photo (left): Minnesota Dept. of Corrections website; Photo (right): CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

Man who used axe to kill his parents and two siblings set free under new policies signed by Tim Walz

Minnesota Republicans say the decision is an insult to the community and the victims.

The brutal murder of a family by a teenager in 1988 led to his being sentenced to die in prison, but new Democratic policies have led to the murderer being set free.

David Francis Brom, now 54 years old, used an axe to kill his 41-year-old mother, 41-year-old father, 13-year-old sister, and 11-year-old brother when he was only 16 years old.

'Some crimes are so horrific that real accountability, serving the entire sentence, should be the only option. Early release after four brutal murders is not justice.'

Although Brom was given three consecutive life sentences in 1989, he has been paroled after serving only 36 years.

Republican Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth excoriated Democrats for passing legislation in 2023 that led to Brom's early release. The law signed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz eased sentences for those convicted of crimes committed while they were minors.

"The parole of a convicted murderer, who committed a crime so brutal that he received three consecutive life sentences as punishment, is absolutely unacceptable, and it is the direct result of a law passed by Democrats and signed by Governor Walz in 2023," she wrote.

"The early release of violent offenders makes our communities less safe, and insults the memory of their victims," Demuth added. "Some crimes are so horrific that real accountability, serving the entire sentence, should be the only option. Early release after four brutal murders is not justice."

The Minnesota Supervised Release Board voted 5 to 1 to grant him parole on Tuesday, but he has been on work release since last year.

"This case is especially painful for our community, which still remembers the trauma of those horrific events. I've heard from constituents who are shocked that such a brutal act no longer warrants permanent removal from society under current law," Republican state Rep. Duane Quam said.

"Minnesota must revisit this misguided policy. Public safety and justice for victims must remain the foundation of our legal system," he continued.

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Police said they found the bodies at the Rochester home with gashes to their heads and upper bodies, and they found a bloody axe in the basement of the home. They initially believed David Brom had been abducted before learning from a witness that he had confessed to killing his family over an argument with his father.

Brom told a parole board that he had a job waiting for him once released from prison.

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Carlos Garcia

Carlos Garcia

Staff Writer

Carlos Garcia is a staff writer for Blaze News.