By Jennifer Squires
FOLSOM — Using a new state law, a former Lompico man who pleaded guilty to murdering his neighbor nearly two decades ago was denied parole for 15 years Monday, the District Attorney’s Office reported.
Gregory Wayne Gunn was convicted in 1991 of second-degree murder for killing John Ratliff. Gunn broke into Ratliff’s home and beat him with five different weapons on June 20, 1990.
A provision of Marsy’s Law, a crime victims’ bill of rights approved by voters in November 2008, increased the time interval between parole hearings some wrongdoers was increased from two to 15 years to reduce how often victims’ families had to attend the hearings to argue against a prisoner’s release.
“Marsy’s Law provided for increased denial dates because they were frustrated with prisoners getting one year,” said assistant district attorney Bill Atkinson.
It also keeps prisoners who aren’t making efforts to rehabilitate themselves, like taking classes or attending counseling, behind bars.
“It’s all dependent on what you’ve done since your incarceration,” Atkinson said.
Gunn, now 53, was the “poster child” for this, Atkinson said, who argued against Gunn’s release.
While in prison, Gunn has picked up a dozen “serious violations” for possessing alcohol and drugs, participating in a riot and disobeying orders. He also told a prison psychologist he would commit the crime again, given the chance, according to Atkinson.
Ratliff was stabbed with a variety of screwdrivers and a long-handled butcher knife, beaten with a meat tenderizing mallet then smashed a TV set over his head, according to Sentinel files.
Apparently, Gunn and a few other men thought Ratliff had molested one man’s 4-year-old daughter. Ratliff, 39, had been badly beaten by a group of men, including Gunn, about a month before his death. Investigators said at the time there was no evidence Ratliff had harmed any children, although he had a long history of run-ins with the law.
After the killing, Gunn fled, but returned to retrieve personal belongings he thought he’d left behind. Sheriff’s deputies were still there investigating and arrested Gunn because he had blood on his shirt.
Gunn, who was sentenced to 21 years to life in prison, is serving time at Folsom State Prison. He also was denied parole in 2004.
