Utah death-row inmate freed after DNA test rules him out of 1985 murder
Douglas Stewart Carter, 71, was released on bail after new DNA analysis excluded him as the source of biological evidence in the 1985 killing of Eva Olesen, prompting a pending retrial.
A Utah man who had spent more than two decades on death row was released on bail after prosecutors said newly examined DNA evidence did not match him. Douglas Stewart Carter, 71, had been convicted in 1985 of killing Eva Olesen, the aunt of a local police chief, in a robbery-related attack in Provo. The DNA tests, completed in September, found no match to Carter in blood on a doorknob and genetic material on a knife handle used in the crime, prompting a judge to order his release while a new trial is scheduled.
Carter, who maintains his innocence, argues that his 1985 confession was coerced. The original conviction relied on that confession and testimony from two witnesses who later recanted, saying they had been paid and threatened by police. The Utah Supreme Court last year ordered a new trial, citing multiple instances of intentional misconduct by investigators and prosecutors.
During the bond hearing, Utah County prosecutor Erwin Petilos described the reassessment of Carter’s bail as “necessary and fair” as the state continues to review the evidence. Carter’s son, Tyler Anger, expressed concern for his father’s well-being after the release. Carter will remain under GPS monitoring and is prohibited from contacting Olesen’s family while he stays at an extended-stay hotel near his son.
The victim’s family voiced “serious concerns” about the release, emphasizing a desire for justice and a concrete DNA match. Prosecutors have not indicated whether the new DNA results will be used to identify other suspects. The case remains pending, with an aggravated murder charge still outstanding.