Three years after the tragic shooting that left Kailey and Virgil Walker, also known as Larry, dead in their Galesburg apartment, the man responsible for their deaths is expected to be released from psychiatric care. William Wolfe, who confessed to the killings in June 2021, had received a "Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity" designation following his trial after evaluations confirmed his mental health at the time prevented him from understanding his actions were wrong, as reported by WOODTV.
Despite having been transferred to Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital for treatment Wolfe's impending release has left many, including the victims' families, questioning the decision and the justice system, according to information from News Channel 3 and echoed by the victims' mother, Denise Cooper, who received the harrowing news of Wolfe's release earlier this week. "When did they decide that they could go free after such a short period of time? Because in my honest opinion, he hasn't been monitored near long enough to know what he really is," Denise Cooper said, expressing her doubts over Wolfe's rehabilitation and readiness for release.
In an interview with WOODTV, Kalamazoo County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Williams elaborated on the legal criteria for an NGRI designation, noting, “Was your mental illness so severe at the time the crime was committed that you didn’t realize that you were doing something harmful or something in violation of the law? And that’s the situation that presented itself in this case,” Said Jeff Williams, adding that once acquitted by reason of insanity, suspects' psychiatric treatment and evaluation are handed over to state doctors and further reviewed by a probate court.
Denise Cooper informed FOX 17 News of her ongoing attempts to intervene in Wolfe's release, striving to contact lawmakers for their support, further stating “That an individual such as Mr. Wolfe isn't just turned out on a street, because basically, that's what they're doing, even though they claim they're going to monitor him. I know how the system works.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, limited by HIPPA regulations on patient privacy, could not provide specific details on Wolfe's status or the conditions of his release. However, they assured that a specialized committee conducts a risk mitigation process to support patients' ongoing treatment needs and manage security risks, a process reported by both News Channel 3 and WOODTV. The community and particularly the victims’ family await further details on Wolfe's reintegration into society with apprehension and concern for safety and justice.
