The possibility of parole has narrowed for David Scarbrough, convicted in the 1995 double murder of a Knoxville couple. During a recent hearing, Scarbrough pled his case but faced the recommendation of parole board member Zane Duncan not to grant his request for release. Duncan cited “My vote is to decline your parole for the seriousness of the offense and to continue correctional treatment for three years,” as his reasoning in a statement obtained by WVLT News. Scarbrough, who is serving a 60-year sentence, could apply for parole again after the three-year period.

Throughout the hearing, scars of the past were evidently opened as Jeanne Dotts Brykalski, daughter of the slain victims Les and Carol Dotts, and her husband Robert addressed their perpetual loss and the convict's enduring denial of his involvement. "Then I had to go home with the help of a Knox County Sheriff’s deputy, explain to Jeanne that her parents were dead," Robert recounted in words shared with WATE News. Their daughter voiced dismay over Scarbrough's continued denial, considering it an obstruction to any claim of rehabilitation or redemption.

Scarbrough, alongside Thomas Gagne Jr and juvenile Harley Watts, were convicted in connection with the brutal murders that have haunted the Knoxville community for decades. With his fellow convicted accomplice released in 2001 and Gagne still incarcerated, Scarbrough's recent claims of innocence during the parole hearing were met with skepticism, particularly in light of his 18 recorded disciplinary infractions while incarcerated, including drug use and larceny.

The parole board's deliberations are still ongoing, with other members due to weigh in on Scarbrough's case, as reported by WBIR. The final decision on Scarbrough's potential release is expected to be reached within two weeks.