In 2015, 6-year-old Logan Tipton was fatally stabbed while the boy slept in his family home in Kentucky.
Nearly a decade later, the man who committed the crime has been released on parole and this has reignited anger and heartbreak for many.
According to court records from the Kentucky Department of Corrections, Ronald Exantus, a 44-year-old former Indiana nurse, began his parole on October 1, 2025. This was after serving about seven years of a 20-year prison sentence.
Officials said Exantus was released because of “good-time” and educational credits. He is currently listed under mandatory reentry supervision. This means he will remain under strict parole monitoring until June 18, 2026, when the supervision will end, as per PEOPLE.
 |
| Ronald Exantus |
The horrifying crime took place on December 7, 2015, in Versailles, Kentucky. According to police reports Exantus drove from Indianapolis and broke into the Tipton family’s home before dawn.
Once inside, he went to the kitchen, took a knife, entered the 6-year-old’s bedroom, and stabbed him multiple times as the child slept.
When Logan’s father, Dean Tipton, heard the screams and rushed upstairs, he was attacked and stabbed as well. Logan’s two sisters were also injured during the chaos.
“When I got to the top of the stairs, he attacked me with a knife,” Dean told news outlets at the time. “He stood up with me on top of him, just stood up and threw me 10 to 15 feet across the room and went after my daughter,” he added.
Logan’s sister, Dakota, recalled the horrifying moment too. “He stabbed me in the back, and then stomped on my head. I remember waking up across the room… and he was killing Logan and Logan was screaming,” she said.
In 2018, the jury concluded that Exantus was not guilty by reason of insanity in Logan’s murder.
However, they decided he was "guilty but mentally ill" for the assaults on other members of the Tipton family and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
But due to the combination of verdicts, his sentence allowed him to become eligible for release earlier than many expected.
In 2020, the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld his convictions, confirming the jury’s decision and rejecting an appeal from his defense.
 |
| Logan Tipton |
The Tipton family says they were shocked to learn about Exantus’ early release. They were reportedly informed that he would first serve six months of parole in Florida before returning to Kentucky supervision.
Logan’s mother, Heather Tipton, expressed her heartbreak during Exantus’ sentencing hearing years ago, saying:
“He didn’t just kill my son. He killed every member of my family. Every person sitting here today is a completely different person than they were before that night.”
The victims father, Dean Tipton added:
“You took a human being’s life. Mentally ill or not, your life should be at least life in prison without the possibility of parole. It just seems like a 6-year-old’s life is worth more than 10 years in prison.”
He later told WKYT that if he ever crossed paths with Exantus, he would not be able to control his anger.
“I’ve had my talks with God, but like I told the court, if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man,” said the heartbroken father.
Local residents and online commenters have also expressed disbelief that Exantus was freed after only seven years, especially considering the brutal nature of the attack.
With Ronald Exantus now living under supervision, the Kentucky Department of Corrections will monitor his movements closely. However, for the Tiptons, the emotional wounds remain deep.
“We’re still living that night over and over again. There’s no moving on when your child was taken like that,” said Dean Tipton.
According to WKYT News, the White House is currently carrying out an investigation into the early release of Ronald Exantus.
For updates on this case and other high-profile true crime cases sign up for our free newsletter here.
Comments
Post a Comment