The convict behind the Oxford High School massacre has been relocated to a state prison in Michigan to serve his life sentence. Ethan Crumbley, now 18, was sentenced last December to life without parole following a 2021 school shooting that left four students dead and several others wounded, as ClickOnDetroit reported.
Crumbley's transfer to the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee, nearly 60 miles southwest of Traverse City, was facilitated this month after he aged out of the Thumb Correctional Facility’s unit for underage offenders, said corrections officials. Despite his violent history, which includes at least two altercations with fellow inmates, details remain unclear whether Crumbley is being held in general population at the new facility, according to WOODTV.
At the time of the shooting, Crumbley was 15 years old. His crimes earned him, among other sentences, a life term for terrorism causing death, and individual life terms for each count of first-degree murder. The case is notable for its rare imposition of a life sentence to a teenager, with a Michigan Judge notably rebuffing defense appeals for leniency due to the "deep trauma caused to the state of Michigan and the Oxford community," WOODTV further detailed.
Crumbley's move to Oaks Correctional, a facility that houses Level II and Level IV offenders, stems from the now-18-year-old outgrowing the protective housing meant for minors at his former institution, as per News Channel 3. The Michigan Department of Corrections indicated that protective housing units are typically reserved for individuals who should not be placed in general population due to factors such as notoriety, or protection needs.
Adding to the gravity of this case, Crumbley's parents, Jennifer and James, who were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the shooting, were also sentenced this month. They became the first parents to be held criminally responsible for a school shooting, receiving 10-15 years each in prison. In a statement obtained by ClickOnDetroit, the couple has received credit for the approximately 2.3 years they have already served, while further appeals may be forthcoming.
