GUILTY OK - Elnora Riley, 83, strangled in her Muskogee home, Aug 1994

...a letter arrived at the office of Muskogee County District Attorney Larry Moore. It contained an emotional and detailed confession to a crime authorities didn’t even know had been committed... “She was completely in the clear,” Moore said. “I’ve never received a letter like that in 24 years of doing this.”

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“I heard the Lord’s voice tell me it’s time,” she said. She sat down to write that letter, crying the whole time...Once I dropped the letter in the mailbox I felt such a sense of relief,” Brown said.

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Authorities returned Brown to Muskogee, where she pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. There were no plea negotiations. She didn’t ask for any breaks...

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She said she has always felt that God had a plan for her, but she never knew what it was until she stepped forward to atone for her long-ago sin. Now she hopes others who hear her story can be inspired to do something that, while it might harm them in this life, will save them in the next.

“I needed to do the right thing,” she said. “I was more concerned about my soul than walking out and being free again.”

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more here

Amazing story, IMO.

It is an amazing story - saw it online yesterday in the Star and wasn't industrious enough to post it myself, so thanks for having done.

This story reflects exactly what I meant in my post on the Barbour pardon thread:

I believe some do find God in prison, but many more pretend to. One thing that, for me, indicates which it is is if they seek early release, pardon etc. Part of God's forgiveness is acknowledging your sin. I think if someone were truly in that place, they'd acknowledge their crime, their fair sentence, and serve it fully, recognizing the pain they've caused others through their crime, and their opportunity to still serve God while in prison.

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Like her, I hope her story will inspire others to come forward.

I don't buy the "Voice in my head" part at all, and was starting to feel some sympathy for her and proud she did the right thing until I read on and saw she committed yet another murder. I'm glad she confessed but I wonder if she ever would have if she wasn't already doing time for murder.

I think she meant she felt compelled by God to do it. I know I've felt Him direct my steps, call me to do something before. It's probably one of those Christian speak things that doesn't translate well.

On the path she was on at the time, she'd probably be dead right now or with a dead conscience. Being caught was a saving grace. She had no way to know she wouldn't face the death penalty or more time, yet she still decided to do the right thing. I applaud her for doing the right thing and turning her life around. Plenty just stay bitter or learn how to be a better criminal in prison. (my mom was in prison ministry and my lil sis was a prison guard for awhile). Many, even among those who claim to find Jesus in prison, don't confess to the crimes they were convicted of, much less ones no one knew about. This is a big deal, IMO! Big :hug: to her.

Yeah, the "found out she did another murder, too" thing got me at first, but in terms of the religious aspect of her confession, it only underscores what made Christianity a controversial religion in the first place: that, no matter the extent of one's sin, if one repented of it and believed in the Savior, one could find forgiveness there.

I think this is AMAZING and does show that the Lord speaks to us. It makes me ask myself "Am I always willing to listen?"

However, she still needs to be held accountable for her actions on this earth.