A teacher who attempted to murder the 17-year-old student he slept with has been released from prison.

The crime, which went on to inspire a Lifetime movie, happened way back in 2006. The then 26-year-old Samson Shelton was teaching as a driving instructor (and wrestling under the name “The Teacher” on the side btw). One of his students from a previous year, then 17-year-old Ashley Reeves was reported missing in April. Shelton became the prime suspect after police found out he’d been involved with her.

While talking to police at the time, Shelton admitted he had slept with the minor once — but quickly tried to put an end to their encounters soon after. He claimed while driving, they got into an argument, and he placed her in a chokehold that broke her neck. She went limp, leading the teacher to believe he’d killed her, so he took her body to a wooded area in Citizen Park in Belleville, Illinois to “make it look like she got strangled there”. He even put his belt around her neck to set the gruesome scene. So, so awful.

Related: Florida Man Murdered Girlfriend Because She Didn’t ‘Respect’ Him!

After leaving the park, per investigators at the time, he went out dancing at a bar and left her for dead. After he confessed, law enforcement were expected to be on a recover mission, but it turned into a rescue. By some miracle, Reeves had survived the whole ordeal! 30 hours after her disappearance she was found alive and nursed back to health. Unfortunately she suffered severe brain injuries. She had to relearn how to swallow, walk, and even speak.

Her survival changed his fate. At the time of his court hearing in 2007, he was booked into Illinois River Correctional Center for a sentence of 20 years. He’s lucky he didn’t get life! As of Monday, though, only 17 years into his prison stay, the now 44-year-old was released. He will serve three years of parole, per his inmate records, officially being a fully free man on April 22, 2027. Wow.

As for his victim? The now 30-year-old said in a phone interview with local outlet KSKD that she just wants to move on and forget it all. Ugh, so sad.

What do U think about Shelton’s release, Perezcious readers? Sound OFF (below).

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.

[Image via Illinois River Correctional Center]

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