A man sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1993 shooting death of a 21-year-old has been released following a landmark court decision.
On Oct. 7, the Massachusetts Parole Board voted unanimously to grant parole to Mark Van Winkle, 51, according to the board’s Record of Decision.
Van Winkle, who has been in state custody since 1994, will transition to a halfway house after spending six months in a lower-security facility, the board ruled.
He is the son of the late Roger Van Winkle, former president of Massachusetts Bay Community College, who served from 1983 to 1999, according to The Boston Globe.
At age 20, Van Winkle was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Israel Espino, 21, and sentenced to life without parole. He was also found guilty of armed robbery, armed assault with intent to rob, and assault and battery.
The crime occurred on Oct. 5, 1993, when Van Winkle arranged a fake drug deal intending to rob Espino, his brother Frank Espino, 23, and Juan Guerra, 19.
While driving to a remote location where he claimed to have a large quantity of marijuana for sale, Van Winkle shot Israel Espino in the head, killing him. He then shot the other two men, injuring Frank Espino in the shoulder and grazing Guerra on the head, face, and arm.
After regaining consciousness, Guerra drove for help and contacted police, leading to Van Winkle’s arrest.
Van Winkle was originally expected to remain in prison for life. That changed in 2024, when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that offenders aged 18 to 20 at the time of their crimes could seek parole, even if they had been sentenced to life without the possibility of it.
In its decision, the parole board noted that Van Winkle had made productive use of his time behind bars. “He has been engaged in rehabilitative programming,” the board stated.
He has had no disciplinary reports in six years and has held trusted work assignments within the Department of Correction.
Under the terms of his parole, Van Winkle must wear an electronic monitor, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and avoid any contact with Israel Espino’s family.
