Carlyle, IL – A man sentenced to 80 years for a brutal 1993 murder has been released on parole to Missouri, as announced by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Dan Travous expressed the community’s enduring shock over the crime, where Robert Nail was convicted for the murder of Michelle L. Laux, whom he savagely beat and left to die in the winter cold. Nail’s parole after serving less than half his sentence has prompted concern and reflection on the justice system’s decision. The Sheriff’s statement on Friday, assured the public of continued vigilance in maintaining law and order in the region.
“Nail completed just under thirty years of his eighty year sentence. It is my opinion, and I’m sure many of yours, Robert Nail failed to receive the punishment he deserved for his unthinkable crime.
Nail is now a free man and paroled to a residence in southern Missouri,” Sheriff Travous said in a release Friday. “My office has not been notified of any potential or specific dangers due to Nail’s release. It is out of an abundance of caution I have chosen to make this public notification.”
The case, remembered for its severity and the victim’s tragic fate, casts a long shadow over the community’s sense of justice, with the Sheriff’s office emphasizing their dedication to preventing similar incidents and ensuring offenders face appropriate consequences.
