What Happened To Greg Witman’s Parents, Sue And Ron?
Very few people have had to endure what Ron and Sue Witman have had to live with for more than 20 years. In 1998, their 15-year-old son Zach had stayed home sick from school. Sometime shortly after the couple’s other son, 13-year-old Greg, was dropped off at their home in New Freedom, Pennsylvania around 3 p.m., Zach reportedly heard a sound that alarmed him so he went to investigate.
At the door to the family’s laundry room, Zach found his younger brother, Greg, lying on the floor, according to People Magazine. He’d been stabbed more than 60 times and nearly been decapitated, reports Fox News. Zach immediately called 911.
Or, at least that was the story he initially told investigators. Throughout a lengthy trial, conviction, and over the course of nearly two decades of imprisonment, Zach maintained his innocence — at least until 1998. That’s when his story changed and he admitted to stabbing his brother to death, per The York Daily Record. But did he really?
His parents don’t think so. Although new evidence indicated Zach may have been telling the truth when he told the story of finding his brother in the laundry room, Zach chose to accept a plea deal in 2018 that offered him freedom in exchange for admitting his guilt. Despite an earlier sentence of life without the possibility of parole, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled life imprisonment for minors unconstitutional and Zach was released based on time served.
Sue and Ron have always believed Zach
A recent Investigation Discovery documentary about the case, made with the participation of both parents, has once again brought the case into the spotlight. Despite the fact that Zach, fearing renewed attention, was reportedly not pleased with his parents’ decision to take part in the special, called “The Witmans,” his mother told Fox News, she still felt it was important.
“I just want people to know there are two sides to everything. We are decent people. Our children are decent people. And we were just a normal family in everyday middle America who was crucified by the press,” said Sue. “This can happen to anybody. And how do you ever prepare for something like this? It was devastating.”
In an era of internet sleuths, true crime podcasts mining for content, and DNA evidence being reexamined, there’s a chance we may someday know the full truth of what happened that day. In the meantime, Sue and Ron continue to maintain their older son’s innocence, while mourning their younger one. Ron described his experience as a “complete mental breakdown” to Fox.
The couple has since moved from the home where Greg was killed and moved to a new town in rural Pennsylvania, where Zach has moved back in after his release. According to The York Daily Record, Zach is said to be attending college and doing well.
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