bracelet. to steven russell, it was a relief. >> you guys thought he was in prison? >> yeah, he was -- he was in jail and he had a violation of parole. failure to register as a sex offender, he kept taking the tracking device, removing the tracking device, so when he was picked up, we knew he was going to get some time and so, there was a big relief. >> reporter: the relief was short-lived. his 16th parole violation was considered not enough to hold him in a crowded jail. judge guilani made the decision and for the 16th time he was released. and what happened after that? >> he went over to my mother's house and killed her. he killed her, and he left her body in the backyard in a wheelbarrow. he raped her. he murdered her, and he robbed her. >> reporter: the state department of corrections says