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William Carroll has been denied parole 16 years after the murder of his wife.

Daughter, Shannon Wilson, said she is relieved that justice has been served.

Leading up to the day of the decision, Wilson described it as not knowing how strong a storm is until the day it hits.

“When they say a storm is going to hit, they say it could be a five or there will only be a little rain,” Wilson said. “You don’t know whether to prepare for the worst or not to worry. It kind of felt like a dream.”

Wilson said this process took her back 16 years when she was a kid having to convince people about her father.

“A lot of people didn’t really believe us until it happened,” Wilson said. “Here I am again, having to convince people that this man is not OK to be in society. I just couldn’t comprehend why the crime itself wasn’t enough for me to not have to worry about him being out again. I just felt like I was a kid again trying to convince people. There are no words to describe the process that we have had to go through.”

She does feel a relief, but in the next five years Carroll will be granted another parole hearing to be released.

“There are no winners in this game,” Wilson said. “At the end of the day, it is our dad and I love him, but I don’t want him to get out. My fear of him is greater than my love for him. This process will be repeated every five years until he dies or until he is granted parole.”

Wilson started a petition last year and had close to 3,000 signatures to keep her father in jail.

“I feel all of the prayers, all of the thoughts, the calls and the texts,” Wilson said. “We had over 3,000 signatures and I don’t know how many letters supporting us. I feel like justice was served. I am just really glad that it is over for the time being.”

District Attorney Walt Merrell had this to say following the Parole Board’s decision: “William Mack Carroll very deliberately murdered his wife, and he did it in front of his minor children, in their home.  He has served 16 years of his sentence, and that is not enough time.  There is actually no amount of time he could serve that would atone for the life he took and what that means to his children, but he should serve the entirety of his life sentence.  I appreciate the Parole Board for their decision to keep Mr. Carroll in prison.”

Under Alabama law, Carroll is entitled to consideration by the Parole Board of his request for parole at intervals throughout his sentence.  The Parole Board set his next parole hearing date for September, 2025, five years from now.  Merrell added, “Mr. Carroll’s children will continue to relive their mother’s murder, and every parole hearing will bring those memories to the surface.  For their sakes, I am thankful they know he will remain in prison for at least another five years.”