It was not immediately clear, however, whether Elster would instantly become a free man. Patino said Elster would be released into the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said he is wanted on a forgery warrant but could not offer additional details Thursday night, reports the
Los Angeles Times
.
Elster did not fire the shot that felled Aguilar, but the sergeant was killed during a car chase that followed a gas station robbery plotted by Elster to gain revenge against a former employer. He was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison in 1989.
A parole board deemed Elster suitable for release in April of 2016, but Gov. Jerry Brown reversed that decision months later, records show. Elster appealed, and a Los Angeles County judge overturned Brown’s decision in March 2017.
Aguilar was survived by three children. His youngest son was just 5 at the time of his death, according to George Aguilar Jr., who was 24 then. The family has launched a social media campaign that it hopes will spur politicians to fight Elster’s release, and Aguilar Jr. said relatives and friends have written letters to Gov. Brown hoping he will appeal.