BATON ROUGE - David Chenevert's time as a seminarian, pastor, husband, and so-called model prisoner apparently outweighed his status as a confessed double-murderer when he was granted parole Monday.

Chenevert, now 64 years old, was convicted of—and confessed to—the grisly murders of Evelyn Mcintyre and Michael Brown more than 40 years ago in Baton Rouge. He pleaded guilty and got a life sentence.

A 2021 parole board decision got his life sentence commuted to 99 years, which immediately opened up the chance for parole.

The board voted 2-1 to grant his early release, with Pearl Wise and Sheryl Ranatza in favor and Bonnie Jackson against. It's not what the victims' families wanted, but they're now trying to move on from a new pain decades after the 1979 killings.

"I'm just glad it's over," said Michael Brown's daughter, Alicia Vaughn. "I haven't slept since all of this started, but I really haven't slept since last night and the day before. I'm glad we don't have to go through it again. I'm just ready to move on."

During the hearing, Chenevert, who appeared via Zoom, revealed new details surrounding the how and why of the murders. He claimed at the time he was "ripped out of his mind" on marijuana and caffeine pills.

The ordeal began over an argument about drug money. Chenevert and Brown were dealing drugs and it had come time to pay up.

Chenevert says after the argument he left and came back several hours later, stabbed Brown in his sleep, and then McIntyre—who was sleeping next to him—when she woke up screaming.

The two members of the board who granted his parole pointed to his "remarkable" reformation while in prison for the last four decades, part of which included completing seminary school and becoming a pastor.

"I don't understand how somebody took two lives and did a little good in prison and now he's able to go free," said McIntyre's brother, Richard Boudreau.

Chenevert will be released from custody with the stipulation that he does not return to Louisiana or Texas. He must also attend counseling and perform 20 hours of community service each month.