Stuart, FL/CBS12 News — A man who pled guilty to the murder of a four year old girl decades ago will be released from prison. A judge in Stuart ruled Friday during a modification of sentence hearing that Brooks John Bellay, 60, will be freed. He has been in prison for 45 years. Bellay was 14 years old when he killed a 4 year old Vero Beach girl on August 20, 1979.
He pled guilty to second degree murder in July 1980 and was sentenced to life in prison. His attorney says he has been sufficiently rehabilitated in prison and has been a model prisoner and is not a danger to others.
Under the modification of his sentence, Bellay will be on GPS monitoring for one year and he will be on probation for 15 years. He will reside in Jacksonville, Florida at Prisoners of Christ, a re-entry program for one year or the duration of the program.
His attorney anticipates he will be released from the Martin County Jail sometime today…