Gregory Todd Fullerton appeared before the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole for his first parole hearing since his conviction, nearly two decades after the death of his fiancée’s 3-month-old son. Nicholas Lee “Nicky” Long’s mother, Samantha, also addressed the board, describing the lasting impact of her son’s death.
Fullerton, a St. George man now 49, went before the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole on Tuesday for the first time since his conviction, according to KSL. He was convicted of killing Nicholas on July 23, 2008, when the boy was just three months old. A jury found Fullerton guilty of child abuse homicide on Dec. 2, 2016, and he was sentenced the following month to a term of five years to life in Utah State Prison, a sentence confirmed in a Utah Supreme Court opinion that also affirmed his confession was voluntary and that he was not in custody for Miranda purposes during the relevant part of his police interview.
Fullerton Tells Board He “Just Lost Control”
KSL reported that Fullerton told the board he had watched Nicholas since birth. Describing the incident, Fullerton said he pushed too hard on the infant’s back and, after a pause, said, “I just, (long pause) lost control.” He told the board he could not explain why that day was different from others.
Fullerton attributed his actions to an unstable, unsupportive environment and his own lack of maturity and parenting knowledge, KSL reported. He apologized to Samantha and her family for the harm he caused.
Prison Record and Health Cited as Fullerton Seeks Release
KSL reported that Fullerton cited anger-management and parenting classes he completed in prison, saying they had helped him. He described his disciplinary record as largely clean, with one minor write-up in the past six years. He also said health problems and the medications he takes for them had prevented him from working in prison.
Nicholas' Mother Says the Pain Will Never End
Samantha told the board she remains heartbroken and expects to grieve for the rest of her life. In remarks reported by KSL, she said, “The pain that I have in my heart and that you have caused will never stop.” She argued that Fullerton’s release would be unfair: he could return to his family, while she could only visit her son’s grave. Members of both families attended the hearing.
The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will decide whether to grant Fullerton parole or schedule another hearing. Families have also addressed the board in other parole cases. The two KUTV reports cited here concern the same Eli Mitchell case: family members of a 13-year-old killed by a drunk driver urged the board to deny parole and raised concerns about the consequences of release, according to KUTV and another KUTV report.
What a five-years-to-life sentence means
Utah uses indeterminate sentences, which set a range of incarceration rather than a fixed term, according to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. At this stage, the board may grant parole or schedule another hearing; the sentence range alone does not determine its decision. The board’s FY 2024 report says people whose prison commitment episodes ended that fiscal year spent an average of 6.8 years under Board jurisdiction, including time in prison and on parole. The Board considers multiple factors in its decisions.
