Mother of Slain Emory Student Speaks

The mother of an student that was murdered by two Navy SEAL trainees in Virginia Beach in 1995 spoke to a TV station in Virginia over the weekend.

Just one day after a Virginia judge ruled to keep one of the men who was convicted of killing Jennifer Evans behind bars, Delores Evans, Jennifer's mother, spoke to WAVY TV-10 (Virginia Beach) on Saturday.

"Having either of these two men back on the street, we would be fearful for other people's daughters," Delores Evans said.

The state Supreme Court on Friday denied an appeal to exonerate Dustin Turner, who was convicted of killing 21-year-old Evans near a Virginia Beach nightclub in 1995. Evans, a pre-med student at Emory, was on vacation in Virginia Beach when she was abducted and killed.

Turner was sentenced to 82-years in prison and Billy Joe Brown, the other Navy SEAL trainee who was convicted of murdering Evans, was sentenced to 72-years in prison in a separate trial.

Years after the conviction, Brown claimed in a sworn statement that he acted alone in the murder, but a judge ruled that his statement was not enough to exonerate Turner, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Both men will continue to serve out their sentences, which amount to life in prison.

Turner's mother, Linda Summitt, was "disappointed" by Friday's ruling, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported.

"I don't believe the judges read the facts," Summitt said. "All anyone has to do is read the facts and they know that Dusty is innocent and deserves to be set free."

To hear more from Delores Evans, visit the WAVY-10 website.