Minnesota ax murderer David Brom slated for release from prison

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minnesota man convicted of murdering his parents and younger siblings with an ax in 1988 at the age of 16, who was sentenced to life in prison for the heinous crime, is now slated to be released from prison later this month.

David Brom to be released

What we know:

Minnesota Department of Corrections court records show David Brom, now 53, is slated to be released from prison in Lino Lakes on July 29.

Brom has served more than 35 years behind bars in his parents' murder. At a parole hearing in January, board members approved, on a 5-1 vote, a plan that would allow Brom to be granted work release as he continues his "step down" towards release.

Timeline:

A Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesperson says Brom will be transferred to a Twin Cities halfway house later this month, where he will be under supervision and GPS monitoring.

His case will be reviewed by the Supervised Release Board again in January. 

Rochester ax murders

The backstory:

Brom was convicted by a jury in the slaying of his mother Paulette, his father Bernard, his younger sister Diane, and his younger brother Richard in Rochester, Minn.

All four bodies were discovered at the Brom household by Olmsted County deputies on the evening of Feb. 18, 1988. Deputies had responded after a friend reported to police that Brom had called him, saying he'd killed his family.

Investigators found all four victims with numerous gashes to the heads and upper body from an ax. David Brom was arrested the following day.

Remembering Feb. 18, 1988

What they're saying:

One of the first deputies who responded that night is Kevin Torgerson, the current Olmsted County Sheriff. He recalls being sent to check on Brom’s father 37 years ago, after rumors circulated at Brom’s school about him harming his father.

"I, we as the public, must trust the parole board's decision and have to hope Mr. Brom is ready for this transition in his life. I'm very pleased to hear that, but it is still hard for me to accept and forget the sights and smells of what I saw that there evening in 1988," said Torgerson.

The other side:

Brom pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness. At trial, four psychiatrists testified for the prosecution, with two finding Brom was not legally insane at the time of the crime. The defense presented a psychiatrist that found Brom didn't understand that killing his parents and siblings was wrong. All the psychiatrists agreed Brom suffered from some form of mental health issues, however.

A jury ultimately found Brom guilty in the murders, and he was sentenced to consecutive life sentences.

New Minnesota law

Big picture view:

A Minnesota law that went into effect last year ended life sentences for offenders convicted as children.

The law allows juvenile offenders sentenced to life to be fully eligible for parole after 15 years behind bars. Brom's move towards release is a result of that law change. The DOC says, under the new law, Brom became eligible for release retroactively as of 2018.

The Minnesota DOC says, under the old law, Brom would have had to serve a minimum of 51 years but would have been eligible for parole in 2037. With the law change, Brom became eligible for parole retroactively as of 2018.

Brom granted work release

Local perspective:

Brom appeared in front of the Supervised Release Board in January. During the hearing, board members explained Brom had been slowly working his way towards release from prison.

Board members indicated Brom had shown change behind bars, with a long record of good behavior and growth as an inmate. A friend who has known Brom since 1991 also spoke out in support of his release, saying he's witness Brom change from a troubled young man to a model inmate.

Ultimately, board members denied Brom parole but approved a plan allowing him to be granted work release this year with Brom returning for another parole hearing next year.

David Brom in his own words

What they're saying:

Brom spoke with board members in January as they debated his path forward. During the hearing, Brom explained his growth while incarcerated and apologized for the horrors he committed.

Change as an inmate

Brom: "I've kind of spent my time – the best that I can –  to change the things about my life that led me to the despair, and the decisions that I made, and the actions that I took, the crimes that I committed. I've tried to change everything that I could about myself, and I believe that through the help of staff, programs, the support system I have in my life. I'm a good example of what a transformation can look like in a person's life through the Department of Corrections. I think that I've demonstrated consistency in that progress and in that maturing and growth and I believe that I'm ready for parole."

Brom apologizes

Brom: "I'd just like to apologize to the family and friends of Bernard, Paulette, Diane and Richard. I caused tremendous loss in their lives, incredible grief and pain and left them with confusion and unanswered questions. And I apologize for that loss, for that grief, for the murders that I committed and the effect that it had on their life. I'd also like to apologize to the courts, the court officials, the sheriffs, who just as a matter of the service that they provide to their community, that they were a witness to the crimes that I committed. I apologize for the impact that that had on their lives. And lastly, to the neighborhood. To the church we attended, the schools we were enrolled in, and the community of Rochester. I apologize for the ripple effects of losing an entire family in such a horrific way."

What led to the murders

Brom: "To give an idea of what leads a person to commit the murders that I did. I struggled with depression for some time and it had clouded my thoughts, and it clouded my ability to process things. And I had grown to a short-sighted view that I thought these things were going to last forever, and I knew I couldn't live that way forever and in the cloud of depression, and I started to believe that other people were at fault. For the way I felt and, unfortunately, that fault I placed on my parents and my family because I was often more depressed at home than I was in other areas of life."

Managing challenges moving forward

Brom: "I believe I have a level of emotional maturity now in order to deal with and recognize what I'm feeling and to work through those emotions. And when that becomes a challenge to me, I have very strong support system. And so I rely on the advice, counsel, and help of other people that are in my life. They can usually speak to me in a way that's helpful. And going forward, I also know that I have resources in the community that are available to me that I can reach out to. I'm working with a couple of peer recovery specialists and things of that nature. Lastly, I'll also have, when there are challenges that I face, I know I have a parole officer that I can turn to for help."

Brom also expressed support for continuing with psychological counseling upon his release.

He is scheduled to be released from Lino Lakes prison on July 29.

Crime and Public SafetyRochester