In a week marked by dramatic developments in two separate but equally haunting child murder cases, authorities in both the United States and the United Kingdom have made headlines with arrests, renewed investigations, and calls for justice that echo across decades and state lines.
On one side of the Atlantic, the story of Ronald Exantus—a man once acquitted of the most serious charges in a notorious Kentucky child killing—has reignited fierce debate and public outrage after his early release from prison and subsequent arrest in Florida for violating parole. On the other, British police have arrested a suspect in the 1994 murder of 13-year-old Lindsay Rimer, a case that has haunted the Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge for over thirty years.
According to ABC News, Ronald Exantus, now 42, was arrested last Thursday in Marion County, Florida, after allegedly failing to register as a convicted felon within 48 hours of arriving in the state—a violation of his parole. Exantus had just been released from a Kentucky prison days earlier, having served eight years of a 20-year sentence handed down in 2018. His charges stemmed from a 2015 home invasion in Versailles, Kentucky, where he was accused of stabbing six-year-old Logan Tipton to death with a butcher knife taken from the family’s kitchen. Exantus also attacked two of Logan’s sisters and their father during the same early morning rampage.
In a twist that still baffles and angers many, Exantus was acquitted of capital murder and first-degree burglary by reason of insanity in 2018. However, he was convicted on two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fourth-degree assault for the attacks on the other family members, resulting in a 20-year prison sentence. As reported by Kentucky authorities and detailed by ABC News, Exantus’ release was not the result of a parole board’s decision, but rather a 2012 Kentucky state law designed to reduce recidivism by mandating periods of reentry for felons who accrue sufficient jail credits, good time, and education credits.
“Every time it had the opportunity, the Parole Board recommended Ronald Exantus stay in prison,” Beth Moore, Director of Public Affairs for the Kentucky Department of Corrections, told ABC News. “Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision (KRS 439.3406) on Oct. 1 after accruing jail credits, good time and education credits.”
The Kentucky Parole Board’s unanimous recommendation to keep Exantus behind bars was ultimately overruled by statute. The fallout has been swift and severe. According to a press release cited by ABC News, board members have been subjected to significant threats, including the release of their personal addresses. Ladeidra N. Jones, the board’s chair, stated, “Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days, even having their personal addresses released publicly.” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that both the Kentucky State Police and the FBI are now investigating these threats, urging the public to “only share the facts around this case” and warning that “these types of threats are taken incredibly seriously.”
Florida officials have also weighed in. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that state police are working to extradite Exantus back to Kentucky. Governor Ron DeSantis, posting on X (formerly Twitter), called the situation “shocking,” adding that it was “shocking that Exantus was let out of prison in Kentucky after serving a mere fraction of his sentence for murdering a six year old kid.” The White House, through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, stated, “I can confirm the White House is looking into this. It’s wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison.”
Exantus’ former attorney, Bridget Hofler, who no longer represents him, offered a more nuanced perspective when speaking to WKYT. “It didn’t really surprise me, if anybody deserved to get out early, it was Ron. He had accomplished so much while he was in prison,” Hofler said, referencing Exantus’ efforts at self-improvement and his battle with schizophrenia. She added, “The horrible thing about this is Ron did not intend to do any of this and Ron was insane when it happened. But yet, Logan is still dead and those children are still traumatized and they will be until the day they die.” Another former attorney told ABC News that Exantus’ early release was due to work hours completed in jail, participation in self-improvement programs, and an absence of disciplinary issues. She expressed concern that the controversy might lead to a rollback of rehabilitation programs for inmates.
Meanwhile, across the ocean in West Yorkshire, England, police have made a breakthrough in a cold case that has long gripped the community of Hebden Bridge. On October 13, 2025, a man was arrested on suspicion of murdering Lindsay Rimer, a 13-year-old girl who vanished in November 1994 after leaving her home to buy cornflakes from a local Spar supermarket on Crown Street. Five months after her disappearance, Lindsay’s body was discovered by canal workers at Rawden Mill Lock on the Rochdale Canal, about a mile from the town center.
As reported by BBC and other UK outlets, the suspect was arrested at an undisclosed UK prison, where he is currently serving a sentence for unrelated offenses. West Yorkshire Police confirmed that the man will be interviewed over the course of October 13 and 14, 2025, and is expected to be bailed and returned to prison while inquiries continue. The investigation, known as Operation Posemill, has also seen detectives approach specific potential witnesses in the Hebden Bridge and Halifax areas.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, the senior investigating officer, emphasized the enduring commitment of police to solving Lindsay’s murder. “We remain very firmly committed to doing everything we can to get justice for Lindsay, and to give her family the answers they still so desperately need after all these years,” Entwistle said. “The arrest we have made today comes as a result of our continued focus on progressing the investigation. We are keeping Lindsay’s family updated and, while we appreciate the understandable public interest that today’s arrest will bring, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”
Entwistle also made a heartfelt appeal to the public: “Although it is now more than 30 years since Lindsay was murdered, we remain convinced there is someone out there who has vital information that could finally help to ease her family’s pain, and we urge them do the right thing and tell us what they know.” Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police, referencing Operation Posemill.
The two cases—one a shocking example of the complexities and controversies of criminal justice and mental health in America, the other a testament to the persistence of British detectives in the face of decades-old tragedy—have thrust the issue of justice for child victims back into the public spotlight. With new arrests, ongoing investigations, and passionate responses from officials and communities alike, the search for answers and accountability continues on both sides of the Atlantic.
