A former Willits man convicted “for the brutal 1993 murder at Lake Mendocino of a Redwood Valley Water District employee” was granted parole this month, the Mendocino County District Attorney.
According to the office of DA David Eyster, the inmate Troy Harden, 53, was convicted of murder and “sentenced in March 1994 to 26 years to life for the stabbing death of Larry Stephenson, a husband and father of two who was at that time living in Upper Lake but working in Redwood Valley.”
Eyster also describes the victim as having been “stabbed multiple times and had his throat cut while he was performing work at the Lake Mendocino water outlet tower,” and that Troy Harden’s brother, Ron Trevor Harden, and another man, John Jensen, were at the scene and convicted of being accessories to the murder.”
Before he was sentenced, Eyster explains that “Ron Harden killed four family members and himself before he could be sentenced for his involvement in Stephenson’s murder, in one of Mendocino County’s worst recorded murder-suicides.”
As for Troy Harden’s parole hearing April 4, Eyster notes that “Mendocino County Deputy District Attorney Jamie Pearl argued that Harden remains unsuitable for parole because …he still poses an unreasonable risk to public safety.”
Also appearing at the hearing and arguing against parole were members of Stephenson’s family, whom Eyster described as “sharing the belief that Harden continues to pose a public safety risk outside of a structured prison setting.”
However, Eyster, notes that “because of his age in 1994, Harden has been classified as a ‘youthful offender’ (under 26 years of age at the time of the crime), and the board members are now required at youthful offender parole hearings to give great weight to factors specific to youthful offenders, (such as) general perceptions of diminished culpability of juveniles as compared to non-specific general perceptions of the culpability of adults.”
With the board determining that Harden should be granted parole, Eyster said that “he will be eligible for release immediately after the decision granting him parole is deemed “final” (which takes about five months).
In the meantime, he notes that “the decision granting parole is subject to the board’s decision review process and the Governor’s separate review process, and those wishing to express their agreement or disagreement with the board’s parole suitability decision regarding Troy Harden can send letters to:
Board of Parole Hearings
Post Office Box 4036
Sacramento, CA 95812-4036
For those wishing to further express their agreement or disagreement to the final decision-maker regarding Troy Harden’s parole suitability and release, respectful letters may be sent to:
Governor Gavin Newsom
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
For those interested in communicating with Governor Newsom via email on the Board’s Troy Harden parole decision, access to the Governor’s email portal is available at https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/.
Once at the portal page, for the topic use “Parole Issues/Concerns” and click on “Leave a comment.” When you click and navigate to the second page, you will be asked to check whether you are “pro” or “con” on the parole issue/concern, before being able to type your comments.
