Mother sickened after stranger who broke into house and murdered son, 6, is jailed weeks after being freed just 10 years into sentence... but he'll be out AGAIN next summer
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
A mom is hitting out at light-touch sentencing in Kentucky after her son's murderer was freed early, only to be re-arrested within days.
In another shocking twist, cold-blooded killer Ronald Exantus is set to be released again next year, after being put back in prison for violating his parole.
Exantus, 42, stabbed six-year-old Logan Tipton to death inside his Kentucky home on the night of December 6, 2015.
A complete stranger to the family, he traveled 175 miles from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Versailles to commit the heinous random act of violence.
Exantus was released from prison in October after serving only half his 20-year sentence for good behavior — but he was re-arrested just days later in Florida on a parole violation.
The Kentucky Parole Board ordered Exantus to remain in prison late last month after he admitted to the violation. However, he will have served out his full sentence next June, meaning he will walk free again - this time without any parole.
Reacting to the news, Logan's mom Heather Tipton told the Daily Mail: 'Everyone is pretty upset, it's nerve wracking knowing he will be free on the streets anywhere he wants very soon.
'No one should have to go through that, the fear of the unknown, having to constantly watch behind you and constantly worry about running into him. It's unfathomable.
Logan was stabbed repeatedly in the head with a butcher knife at his home in Kentucky
Exantus, seen here in his most recent prison mugshot, was released early for good behavior before he violated his parole and was put back inside
'So far we've found no one can do anything, I think we're going to have to sue the state over revoking his 'good time' or something.'
According to Heather, there is still a fear amongst the family that Exantus would come back to their home, especially after he broke his parole.
She added: 'I wouldn’t think he would ever show his face around here, but I also thought he would’ve followed all of his MRS protocols to a T to keep from going back to prison. So who knows. I hope to God he stays away.'
Exantus entered the Tiptons' home as they slept through an unlocked door in 2015 and armed himself with a butcher knife he found in their kitchen.
The former dialysis nurse made his way upstairs to where the five Tipton siblings were sleeping.
The children had decided to crash out in the same room after spending the night watching Christmas movies together.
Exantus proceeded to murder Logan in front of his brother and sisters, stabbing him repeatedly in the head with such force that the large knife he used in the frenzied attack bent out of shape.
He was sentenced to 20 years in 2018 after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for murdering Tipton.
Exantus was deemed guilty but mentally ill on assault charges. He admitted to murdering the boy after police arrested him at the home.
Heather Tipton is seen here with her children. From left to right: Dakota, Logan, Lilly, Aiden and Koral
He traveled from Indianapolis to the Tiptons' home in Versailles in December 2015 where he carried out a series of stabbings
According to Heather, there is still a fear amongst the family that Exantus would come back to their home, especially after he broke his parole. Heather and Logan are seen here
According to records obtained by Lex18, he was able to shave off five years from his sentence for good behavior, a further two years for exceptional meritorious service and 10 months for carrying out educational programs.
He started his sentence with two years and four months of jail credit, and also earned a year and a half back from holding down a job inside, the outlet said.
The family exhausted the appeals court process after being sickened by the short sentence Exantus was given, but the courts system stood by the verdict.
He told police at the time that he believed he needed to 're-enact surgery' inside the home
The killing was seemingly unplanned, with Exantus trying numerous addresses on the Tiptons' street before making his way inside their home.
Trial testimony pointed to Exantus ending up in the city after leaving Indianapolis to head for Florida to see family, yet he got lost on the way after crossing the state border into Kentucky.
Exantus told officers he had seen a sign for a Gray Street and it reminded him of the medical TV show Grey's Anatomy.
He told police at the time that he believed he needed to 're-enact surgery' inside the Tiptons' home and that the street name 'made him think of knives for surgery'.
According to court papers at the time seen by the Daily Mail, officers were on the scene within 90 seconds of Koral dialing 911.
Logan's sister Dakota was stabbed in the back by Exantus before he proceeded to stomp on her head.
Heather previously told the Daily Mail that someone in the city, near Lexington, must have known Exantus or at least been aware of his presence that night.
It wasn't just Logan that was attacked either, his sister Dakota was stabbed in the back by Exantus before he proceeded to stomp on her head.
After that, Exantus and Logan's father Dean started brawling in the children's bedroom, Dean recalled being thrown across the room after confronting his son's killer.
Prosecutors disagreed with Exantus' insanity defense, arguing in court that he was in such a state due to his use of synthetic drugs.
Exantus became eligible for parole in 2019 due to credit for time served and had his parole knocked back in 2021. It was then deferred in 2023 for two years.
The day after the death of her son, Heather moved house with her husband and kids due to the horrors that had unfolded inside.
State Rep. Jason Nemes is now trying to introduce Logan's Law that would ensure anyone found guilty by reason of insanity should be sent to a mental health facility indefinitely.
