PERP KILLS SLEEPING BOY, 6, GETS "EARLY RELEASE," FOUND BY FL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Episode Title: PERP KILLS SLEEPING BOY, 6, GETS "EARLY RELEASE," FOUND BY FL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Release Date: November 10, 2025

Nancy Grace delves into the harrowing case of the Tipton family, whose six-year-old son, Logan, was brutally murdered during a home invasion. The focus is on the trauma endured by the family, the controversial not guilty by reason of insanity (NGBRI) verdict for the perpetrator Ronald Exantis, his early release from prison, and the legal and political response. The episode features interviews with Logan’s father Dean Tipton, sister Coral Tipton, forensic psychologist Karen Stark, attorney Greg Morse, Kentucky Representative T.J. Roberts, and law enforcement from Florida.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Night of the Murder

• The Tiptons were celebrating Christmas in their new home with a family movie night.
• An intruder, Ronald Exantis, broke in as the children slept and stabbed six-year-old Logan to death and attacked his sisters.
  • Coral Tipton (Logan’s sister):

    "I seen the man in my room killing my brother and now he is just free." (03:55)

• Dakota, another sibling, was also attacked but survived.

Timestamp: 02:14 – 08:51

• Dean Tipton shares his enduring pain and guilt as a parent:

  • "It crushes me knowing that my baby boy was up there yelling, probably for his parents for help... I feel like I let him down. Even though I did everything I could." (08:51)

• Coral reflects on how she believes Logan’s actions might have saved his siblings:

  • "I just look at him as a light in my life that I can't see but I know is there because he is what saved us." (06:47)

2. Survivor’s Guilt and Trauma Response

Timestamp: 09:15 – 10:38

• Forensic psychologist Karen Stark explains survivor guilt:

  • "It's a primal feeling... Especially with a child, you're there and you feel like you're there to protect them. Even though it's not true and there was nothing you could do." (09:57)

• The episode explores the diverse trauma responses of the surviving children, especially Dakota, who struggled with behavioral issues post-incident.

Timestamp: 14:35 – 16:51

• Dean recounts Dakota's trouble in school:

  • "She just felt like the law let her down. So they're not going to do anything to me. If they let him go, they'll let me go." (16:51)

3. Legal Injustice and the Flawed Verdict

Timestamp: 21:20 – 27:16

• Kentucky Representative T.J. Roberts details the problems with Exantis’ trial and sentencing:
  • Exantis was found NGBRI for murder/burglary (crimes requiring intent), but guilty for the assaults (which also require intent):

    "The only way that I see you being sane for the assaults but insane for the murders is blatant jury misconduct, where they decided to negotiate on a split verdict." (26:26)

  • Exantis was sentenced to 20 years for assault but released after just 7 years due to Kentucky’s “mandatory reentry supervision” law.
  • Roberts pledges two new bills: one to abolish automatic reentry, another to ensure juries cannot split their finding of sanity/insanity.

Timestamp: 32:24 – 35:22

• Dean and Coral were frustrated about limitations during the trial:

  • Dean: "We were kind of limited on what... our prosecuting attorney would allow us to say."

• Dean recounts that Exantis begged for his life, indicating possible awareness of guilt:

  • "He begged me, begged me not to do it. He said, I know you should do it, but please do not kill me. Please. I beg you not to kill me." (33:00)

• Nancy and her legal experts highlight that this plea undermines the insanity defense:

  • Karen Stark: "That's awareness. That's somebody who knows the difference between what he was supposed to do and what he did do, which was horrific." (34:53)

4. Early Release and Public Outrage

Timestamp: 37:21 – 40:41

• The Tipton family was shocked to learn Exantis was released after less than half his sentence, discovering this only after he had left Kentucky:

  • Dean: "I didn't find out until the day of October 1st that he had been released that day." (38:01)

• Exantis moved to Florida, settling next to an elementary school without registering as a felon.

5. Florida Law Enforcement Takes Action

Timestamp: 42:38 – 43:50

• Lieutenant Paul Bloom explains Exantis’ failure to register as a felon resulted in his arrest in Florida:

  • "We have felons that come here and register every single day of the week... He just willfully flaunted that." (43:21)

6. Messages to Crime Victims and Lawmakers

Timestamp: 44:41 – 47:53

• Coral Tipton thanks Florida law enforcement and urges other victims to persist:

  • "Even though you might feel like the government doesn't care, there are a lot of people around that aren't a part of the government that does care and you will be heard eventually. Just keep fighting." (44:41)

• Dean Tipton vows ongoing advocacy for justice:

  • "I'll continue to fight what's right for my son to the day I die... Whatever it takes, I'm going to go to my grave fighting for justice for Logan and my family." (47:26)

7. Who Was Logan Tipton?

Timestamp: 46:14 – 47:16

• Dean's story about Logan's Sunday School lesson:

  • “She said they were, the Sunday school class was writing down what they were going to give Jesus for his birthday for Christmas. And Logan hadn't written anything down... And he said, I've already given Jesus my gift... I gave him my heart. This is coming from a six year old little boy. That's who my son was.” (46:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On survivor guilt:

  "That's a normal feeling. It's very normal. Because it is your child. And you feel like...you were supposed to protect him."
  — Karen Stark (09:57)

• Jury verdict disbelief:

  "This is what the jury did on the charge of murder. The jury has returned the following verdict. We...find the defendant Ron Exantis not guilty."
  — Nancy Grace (35:38)

• On Exantis’ conduct post-release:

  "He goes from Kentucky straight to Florida and gets a place directly beside an elementary school. Did you know that?"
  — Nancy Grace (41:10)

• On justice and perseverance:

  "Don't give up. Like Coral said, there are people out there who care. I care. And I'll continue to fight...to the day I die."
  — Dean Tipton (47:26)

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Family recounts the night of the crime | 02:14–08:51 | | Discussion of survivor guilt | 09:15–10:38 | | Dean recounts Dakota's trauma | 14:35–16:51 | | Trial verdict and legal controversy | 21:20–27:16 | | Dean on what he couldn’t tell jury | 32:24–33:46 | | Insanity plea analyzed | 33:46–35:22 | | The split verdict played in court | 35:38–36:20 | | Discovery of Exantis’ early release | 37:21–40:41 | | Florida law enforcement acts | 42:38–43:50 | | Message to victims & story about Logan | 44:41–47:16 |

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Episode Tone and Takeaway

Nancy Grace maintains her trademark impassioned, direct, and justice-focused approach. The episode is emotionally charged, with the Tipton family voicing raw grief and steadfast determination. Nancy and her expert guests challenge the legal system's failures, highlighting the importance of legislative reform, survivor support, and persistent advocacy for victims. The focus remains not just on the tragedy, but on the quest for accountability and positive change for other families.

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Conclusion

This episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace confronts the legal and emotional aftermath of a devastating crime against a young boy and his family. It raises urgent questions about the insanity defense, sentencing laws, and the need for systemic reforms. At its core, it is a powerful tribute to Logan Tipton’s memory and a call to action for justice—offering hope, solidarity, and pragmatic advice for survivors and advocates everywhere.

Transcript

[Coral Tipton]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace A home intruder stabs a sleeping little boy just six years old, dead. Then he gets early release. Early release? Doing half the time he was supposed to do. Why? Just found by a Florida elementary school. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us.

[Narrator]

In 2015, the Tipton family was living.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

A peaceful, ordinary life, raising their small.

[Narrator]

Children and savoring each day.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

But one fateful night in December, their.

[Narrator]

World was irrevocably shattered by a horrific home invasion.

[Nancy Grace]

I don't understand what happened in this case. First of all, the whole family's together. They're celebrating, they're having a movie thon in one of the bedrooms. They moved all the furniture around and the children are having a great time. Then sometime in the night, an intruder breaks into the home, comes into the home, finds this beautiful. Can I see his picture, please? Finds the most beautiful. Look at him. Look at Logan. Finds Logan asleep. Asleep. And stabs this beautiful baby dead. Wait for it. That's not all. He just got out on early release. This is in Kentucky. Can you hear me? Kentucky. This is on you. Why is this guy out walking around in less than half the time he was supposed to do anyway? That said, let's go back to that moment and understand what happened.

[Dean Tipton]

Listen, I've had my talks with God because I'm not afraid to tell you. Oh, I told the court, if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man. I will kill him where he stands.

[Coral Tipton]

There'S really no words to explain it. Me and my siblings, we are fearful.

[Nancy Grace]

Of what's to come next.

[Coral Tipton]

I seen the man in my room killing my brother and now he is just free.

[Nancy Grace]

It just doesn't make sense to me that. From our friends at Fox News, I'm just. Also from our friends at wkyt, you know, I've got an all star panel of experts. But tonight, joining us, two very special guests, slogan's father, Dean Tipton and Logan's sister, just a little girl when this happened. Coral Tiptons, thank you for being with us tonight.

[Coral Tipton]

Thank you.

[Dean Tipton]

Thank you for sharing the story.

[Nancy Grace]

Mr. Tipton. My father would cry. Not about anything else, but anything to do with us, his three children. He was just so tender hearted. And I am curious where you get the strength to talk about Logan.

[Dean Tipton]

I look at it as a way to keep Logan alive, keep his memory alive. Plus I've got four other amazing children that help keep me going. None of it's easy, but we want the world to know who our son is and the injustice that was done upon our family.

[Nancy Grace]

Injustice? I don't think it was done on your family. It has been heaped, heaped on your family. You know, I understand what you're saying to an extent. I thought I knew it all about grieving and suffering when my fiance was murdered shortly before our wedding. But now that I have the twins, I just have to go lay down on the railroad track and wait for a train to come. I don't know where you're getting this drink, but yet you have to. You have to, Dean, for your other children because they need you. And you're setting an example to them about how to deal with the worst hardship any parent can endure. And you're showing them that to Coral. This is Logan's sister. How when you look back and think of all the Christmas mornings and birthdays and basketball games out in the driveway and supper time with the family that you have lost with your brother Logan. What goes through your mind, Coral?

[Coral Tipton]

A lot of what ifs come to my mind a lot whenever I get to thinking about him and what we would be doing if he was here. But I do all the time like to say that Logan saved the rest of us that night. So I just look at him as a light in my life that I can't see but I know is there because he is what saved us.

[Nancy Grace]

Why do you say that, Coral?

[Coral Tipton]

Because when Logan was being killed, Ronald Xander told him to shut up screaming. And if he wasn't gonna shut up Screaming and crying that he was gonna come get me and the rest of my siblings and Logan. Stop crying.

[Nancy Grace]

Dane. When you. When you hear that from Coral, I mean, did you ever. In your wildest dreams, you guys were celebrating in a new house. It was Christmas time. In your wildest dreams, imagine this could happen. You know, the other night is 3am and I heard what sounded like an unbreakable Christmas ornament fall off of the tree onto the hardwood floor. Right? That's what it sounded like in my mind in my daughter's room. And all I could think about was Logan. At first I thought, oh, what is Lucy doing in there at 3 o' clock in the morning? And I thought of Logan. I jumped up and ran. And just when you hear Coral describe what she just said, how does that make you feel?

[Dean Tipton]

It crushes me knowing that my baby boy was up there yelling, probably for his parents for help. And that coward of a monster went into my children's rooms instead of my room. I have a lot of feelings. I feel like I let him down. Even though I did everything I could.

[Nancy Grace]

Mr. Tipton, you know. You know, right, that you did not let him down. You did not let him down. You know what? Hold on. I got a shrink with me. Not just a shrink, but a friend. Longtime friend and colleague Karen Stark is with me. Forensic psychologist Karen. That's survivor guilt, right? Because even I think I could have saved Keith. And he was had traveled to a different town with a construction crew. There was nothing I could do. But in my mind, I think, well, why didn't I fill in the blank? Just. Can you just tell Dean and Coral anything?

[Karen Stark]

It's a primal feeling. I'm not surprised at all. Because especially with a child, you're there and you feel like you're there to protect them. They are not supposed to die before you and something this horrific. Nancy, A murder. So that primal feeling of, I should have been there, I should have done something, I should have protected him. That's a normal feeling. It's very normal. Because it is your child. And you feel like that's why he was there. You had him. You were supposed to protect him. Even though it's not true and there was nothing you could do.

[Nancy Grace]

But I guess there's no way to avoid that feeling. Guys, we're going back to that night. Listen.

[Narrator]

December 6th. The Tipton family is enjoying their first holiday season in their new home. Dean and Heather have already put up the Christmas tree, and their children rearrange the girl's bedroom into a movie theater. So they can have a Christmas movie marathon. Heather finds Coral Lily in Dakota's beds pushed together with Logan and Aiden on the lower part of a trundle bed as she puts them to sleep before heading to her overnight shift. Dean also turns in expecting his brother to return from work around 4am.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace to Dean and Coral I'm trying to imagine that we do that too. The next day after Thanksgiving, which everybody goes shopping. We don't. Everybody gets in the den, our TV screens like this big and we start watching Christmas movies. And I look forward to it all year and we try, you know, barring homework or something, to watch Christmas movies all the way through the Christmas season when we're all together. Can you just tell me what that night was like guys? The movies.

[Dean Tipton]

We had made Christmas candy earlier that day we had chocolate covered pretzels and just odds and ends of Christmas candy. And what was it? The L. The Elf. That was Logan's favorite movie, the Elf. And we had started with it and pretty much that was that movie was on rerun until Christmas and then after Christmas.

[Nancy Grace]

I forced the children to watch the Kermit Scrooge movie Christmas Carol and then they go to Elf and we watch Elf with Feral on and off the whole Christmas season. Just imagine all you guys with the chairs and the seats and the beds all squished together to make a movie theater. Then at some point everyone is exhausted from Elf and start to drift to sleep.

[Narrator]

Listen, seven year old Dakota heads downstairs in the middle of the night for a glass of water. Dakota thinks she hears her uncle coming home after A late shift. But seeing a man she doesn't recognize, Dakota drops to the floor behind a kitchen counter. The stranger hears a stool shift where Dakota is hiding and immediately lunges for the little girl. Dakota barely escapes his grasp, booking it back to the bedroom she shares with her siblings. But pulling the covers over her head doesn't make this monster go away.

[Coral Tipton]

He stabbed me through the she in my back, and he started stomping on my head after that, and I kind of blacked out.

[Nancy Grace]

You know, there's so much to cover with Dean and Coral. What about Dakota, by the way? That's from the Officialwolf YouTube. What about Dakota? How. I mean, how has she managed to soldier on after that?

[Dean Tipton]

She's had it rough hearing that the man was innocent by reason of insanity. Her little mind couldn't understand that. You know, she. All the kids told us, daddy, we watched him do it. How is he innocent? And that was probably one of the hardest things I had to do to my children, is telling them that. And Dakota has lashed out. She was in trouble for a while. I think she felt like, well, if he can get away with it, I can, too. And she was in a lot of fights in school and here recently. She has, over the last year or so, starting to mature enough to handle it better. But it's been rough. It's been rough on her. It's been rough on all my kids.

[Nancy Grace]

Dean. When I would work with child victims, victims of felonies, whether they had been beaten or had cigarette burns all over them, starved, put in cages, sex abused, they had so many different reactions and, you know, like the classic symptoms, doing badly in school and wetting the bed. And another classic symptom is exactly what you just said. After going through trauma, children don't know. They don't know how to deal with that. They can either go into themselves or they can act out. And I know that doesn't help to know this is normal. This is what happens. But this went on for some time with Dakota. Right. And it just had to exhaust you guys trying to help her.

[Dean Tipton]

Yeah, it was. We were in court at one time with Dakota for about six years, and it was all due to fighting and acting out in school, truancy. But she just felt like the law let her down. So they're not going to do anything to me. If they let him go, they'll let me go.

[Nancy Grace]

Greg Morse joining me, veteran criminal defense attorney at Morse Legal. He is the author of the Untested on Amazon. Greg, I'm uncharacteristically Not asking you to take the other side, but I know you've seen like I have. You stand in court and you see a complete injustice. It's like there's nothing you can do. And when I hear about like I hear the dad crying, I hear the sister crying, but when I think about Dakota, you know, she was attacked, lashing out for the following years, that's very rare. I mean we hear of it because it's rare when it happens, but that's very rare for a girl statistically to start fights at school to the point you land in really bad trouble. That that's coming from this incident. And it's like our hands are tied. We sit, see it unfolding in slow motion. Almost the wake left behind because of this guy. And there's nothing we can do about it.

[Greg Morse]

Well, it's. And you're right, it is a challenge when, you know, victims that suffer tremendous trauma, especially young people, then are expected to put it behind them and act out in life like a normal citizen. These impact tremendously. It's difficult to get past them for some people. But I will say that, you know, victims of serious crimes, you've prosecuted them, I've defended people. They're not responsible for the acts that happened to them or their family. The tragic, not even close. And people feel alone a lot when they're victims and they feel unique. I find that this is only happening to me, but sadly it's not. There's a lot of people out there that go through this experience.

[Nancy Grace]

Speaking of little Dakota, listen.

[Narrator]

After stabbing Dakota through her bedsheets, throwing her to the floor and stomping on her head, Ronald Exantis turns the Tiptons kitchen knife on 6 year old Logan sleeping on the floor. Dakota comes to to Exantus stabbing Logan in the head and her brother's bloodcurdling screams waking up her older sisters. Lily manages to slip past Exantis downstairs to her parents room while Coral tries to turn Xantus attention away from Logan.

[Coral Tipton]

Logan, just like I could hear him screaming for mom and dad, he was screaming for everybody.

[Nancy Grace]

That from the official wolf YouTube. Okay, Dean, you've got to help me understand where you get the strength knowing that this guy stabbed him while he was screaming mommy and daddy. I mean that is just over. It's an overwhelming tide of grief and guilt and pain.

[Dean Tipton]

Yeah, honestly, some of this stuff that come out in that podcast is the first time I heard it. When everything happened, I laid in bed and gave up on everything. And I didn't want to know what all had happened to my kids because what I was dealing with, what I had went through that night, was sending me over the edge. And I was terrified that finding out exactly what happened to them would have sent me completely over the edge. So knowing that he was up there screaming and yelling for me and his mom, it's. I wish I, it goes back to, I guess, the survivor guilt. I wish I could have done more.

[Nancy Grace]

I. I wish you didn't even know.

[Dean Tipton]

Yeah, I hear his screams at night.

[Nancy Grace]

Joining us now tonight, a very special guest, Theodore Joseph TJ Roberts in the Kentucky House of Reps for the 66th district. It's a real pleasure to have you on. I normally don't wade into the cesspool of politics. I admire all of you who have the stomach for it. Representative Roberts, I greatly appreciate what you're trying to do. Could you explain in a nutshell, what you're trying to do and how the hey, this guy walked free? Because I know you're a trial lawyer and it's completely inconsistent that a jury gives him ngbri not guilty by reason of insanity on murder and burglary and then which require intent. They say he was insane and couldn't inform intent and then convict him on two counts, second degree assault, one count of misdemeanor fourth degree assault, which specifically require intent. So you know what we had. I'm just putting it out there and I'm going to get attacked for this. A bad jury because the verdict doesn't even make sense that he was too crazy for intent to murder, but he was sane enough for intent to assault in the same moment. That said, why is he walking free and what can you do about it?

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

Absolutely. And thank you for having me on. So the reality is the Tipton family was victimized twice, first by Ronald Exantis and then second by the Commonwealth of Kentucky when we failed to put him away for the rest of his life for what he did to Logan Tipton. And the reason he got out was one, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity for burglary and murder. That shouldn't have happened. He should have been convicted. He was found sane for the assaults. But then second, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the assaults, which under Kentucky law at the time didn't even constitute a crime of violence somehow. And as a result, he was eligible for a program that was codified into statute in 2011 called Mandatory Reentry supervision. And as a consequence of that, Ronald Exantis, who murdered a six year old who burglarized a Home and viciously assaulted. The murder victim's family was let out after only seven years. And that is one of the greatest failures under Kentucky law. So I have introduced two bill requests that will be filed on day one of the 2026 session. The first one is Bill Request 1050, which abolishes the mandatory reentry supervision program. We have a parole board for determining when.

[Nancy Grace]

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. You've got DEFCON 4. It abolish. It abolishes the re. The automatic reentry. Is that what you just said? It abolishes what?

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

Yes, ma'.

[Coral Tipton]

Am.

[Narrator]

It.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

It abolishes the automatic re entry into society for convicted criminals who have been sentenced to incarceration. And I think that's one of the most important ways to address this. Make sure that violent criminals serve their full sentence. And for those who are non violent, that's what the. That's what the parole board is for a group of nine people to determine whether or not this person is truly repentant of their crimes, whether or not the crime was so severe that they need to serve the. Serve the full sentence and give that discretion back to human beings who can make the judgment call for themselves. Do I really want this person?

[Nancy Grace]

Put him up, please.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

Living freely.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, hold on with me. Representative T.J. roberts of the 66 district there in Kentucky. So Kentucky has what you're calling automatic re entry that regardless of what the parole board says. Because I love to attack parole boards, but this parole board actually did try to keep him in. Every time they had a chance to let him out, I was all ready to blame them, but that's not what happened. He got out because of the automatic re entry in Kentucky. Let me ask you a question. You're a trial lawyer. You ever heard of a J, N O V A judgment notwithstanding the verdict? I swear, I don't understand why this judge, when the jury came back guilty on assault, which requires intent, but ngbri not guilty reason, insanity on murder, which requires intent. How can he be sane for count one, insane for count one, insane for count three, the judge could have done a J N O v judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Basically Latin phrase, screw the jury verdict and do the right thing. The jury clearly didn't get it right.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

That's correct. And the only way that I see you being sane for the assaults but insane for the murders is blatant jury misconduct, where they decided to negotiate on a split verdict. And that's why I requested bill request 1051, which makes it to where if you plea Insanity and you present that defense and there's multiple charges associated with the same set of actions, then the jury must come to a conclusion of sanity or insanity on all of the charges. And it has to be the same for all of the charges. Ronald examiner should have been convicted of murder. He should have spent the rest of his life in prison. And it's a gross miscarriage of justice that the jury failed to do the right thing and that the court failed to do the right thing.

[Nancy Grace]

This Kentucky had guilty but mentally ill. Do you guys have that? Because with that, if you. I don't know. I don't get why they didn't do that. Guilty but mentally ill. GMI means you did it, but you were mentally ill. So we're gonna let you go to a hospital until you are rehabilitated and then you're going to jail anyway. Can I just tell you something, Representative TJ Roberts? I'm so grateful you're doing this. We can't do anything regarding Logan now except bring this to the forefront. And if we hadn't done that, if his dad and his sister were not speaking out right now, nobody would even know about this. It would never have even been brought to your attention. But you're on a crusade and God willing, you're going to be successful. I don't know what you are. You might be a Democrat, you might be a Republican, you might be a Greenie, but I'm voting for you. Thank you for being with us.

[Representative T.J. Roberts]

Thank you so much.

[Nancy Grace]

I want you to hear more from Coral and Lily Tipton about the night their baby, their brother Logan was murdered.

[Coral Tipton]

He takes the butter knife, starts at my belly button, goes up my belly button up my face, cuts my nose right here. I had a little marking on my chest. And I go get my dad and I remember exactly what I said to my dad that night. I said, daddy, daddy, there's a bad man upstairs. He just kept trying. He tried to tell me it was Uncle Monk and this and that. I was like, no, no. I was like, there's a bad man.

[Narrator]

Once Dean Tipton understands Lily truly has seen a stranger, he dashes upstairs, coming face to face with blood covered, knife wielding Exantis. Dean tells Coral to get her siblings to safety and call 91 1. Coral grabs Dakota and Aiden, telling Logan she'll come back for him. With Lily, Dakota and Aiden locked safely in their parents room, Coral calls 91 1. Dean Tipton holds Exantis until police arrive. But first responders can do nothing to help Logan.

[Nancy Grace]

Straight back to Dean Tipton. This is Logan's dad. That was from the official wolf YouTube. I'm surprised you didn't kill him right there on the spot. Dean.

[Dean Tipton]

It's something I recommend regret every day. I wish I had have. But I didn't know Logan was hurt. I didn't know. I didn't even know he was up there until after the police had got there and was fighting with Ronald Exonis, this monster. I didn't know until I started down the stairs and Coral met me and said, daddy, you need to go get Logan. And that's when I found him.

[Nancy Grace]

Coral, tell me what happened.

[Coral Tipton]

I headed upstairs to just see what was going on. Really? Because the police were there and once they got situated on Ronald Exanis, my dad got up and was going to go back downstairs to check on everybody. But I told Daddy, I said, you need to get bubby. He's still sleeping. And daddy walked over to Logan and I just see my dad holding Logan in his arms. And Daddy's just screaming and crying for help. And Logan took his last breath and Daddy's arm.

[Nancy Grace]

Mr. Tipton, when you saw Logan still lying there, you had no idea he had been attacked?

[Dean Tipton]

I didn't know he had been attacked at all. I knew something was wrong because when I found him, he was laid down in a puddle of blood. And as I was when I was holding him, my fingers slipped into the cuts in the back of his head. And I knew then that he was gone. When he closed his eyes on me, he was gone. And he wasn't coming back. Eventually, one of the detectives come over and. Or the officers come over and took Logan from me and started cpr. And I got up and I kicked it. I kicked him several times. This monster. I kicked him several times while he was laid there handcuffed and seen the knife laying on the floor. And I grabbed it and picked it up and was ready to. Ready to kill him. But the police drugged me down the stairs.

[Nancy Grace]

With all of these witnesses, with all this testimony, I don't understand the jury verdict. Dean, you told the jury what happened, right?

[Dean Tipton]

Yes. Yeah, we. We.

[Coral Tipton]

We told them what we were about.

[Dean Tipton]

We were. We were kind of limited on what Gordy Shaw, which was our prosecuting attorney, would allow us to say. Me and Gordie Shaw had. Had had words once before. And he looked at me and told me that he would go through this trial with or without me because I was questioning the way he was doing things.

[Coral Tipton]

So.

[Nancy Grace]

What did you not get to tell the jury?

[Dean Tipton]

I didn't get to tell the Jury that the man begged me not to kill him. Because when I was. When I had him down the second time, when I had him down on the ground, I was. I was mad. I was furious. I was like, this man is in my children's room. And I told him, I said, I'm going to kill you. And I was starting to try to break his neck. And I had just had shoulder surgery two weeks before that, and I was hearing this ripping and tearing. I thought it was his neck, but it was in. It ended up being me tearing my shoulder back apart. And as I was trying to kill him, he begged me, begged me not to do it. He said, I know you should do it, but please do not kill me. Please. I beg you not to kill me.

[Nancy Grace]

Oh, my stars right there. Greg Morse, don't fight with me on this, but isn't it true the definition of insanity is the old MacNaughton test, do you know right from wrong at the time of the incident? And he said. He said to Dean Tipton, I know you've got a right to, but please don't kill me.

[Greg Morse]

I mean, no, on that, on this, we agree. I don't. I don't know why that's a defendant statement that comes in. There's no reason under the rules of evidence. I'm not sure why that wouldn't be part of the story that is told by the witnesses that, you know, experience this tragedy. So that's. That is bizarre, but I'm not sure it would have led to a different result. While I agree with you, it's very.

[Nancy Grace]

Inconsistent, I can tell you right now, Morse, they did the litmus test for insanity is, do you know right from wrong at the time of the incident? Karen Stark.

[Lieutenant Paul Bloom]

Yes.

[Nancy Grace]

You're the renowned psychologist. For someone to say, I know you have a right to kill me, but please don't kill me, that shows he knows what he did was wrong.

[Karen Stark]

Absolutely knows. You have the right. I don't blame you. You have the right to kill me, but please, I'm begging, even begging him not to be kissed. Don't kill me. That's awareness. That's somebody who knows the difference between what he was supposed to do and what he did do, which was horrific. So I don't understand. I don't know the law the way you do, Nancy, but how could it possibly be that they decide that he's insane?

[Nancy Grace]

You know what, Karen Starr? You don't have to know the law to know that this jury got it bass ackwards, even with the Tiptons testifying as you have heard them say speak tonight. This is what the jury did on.

[Dean Tipton]

The charge of murder. The jury has returned the following verdict. We were very find the defendant Ron Santis not guilty.

[Nancy Grace]

My children live through hell every single day and I had to tell them this morning that he was found not guilty of killing their brother that they witnessed, they saw it happen, they heard him say he did it and he's not guilty. That is an insane verdict. Aliex18.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime STORIES with Nancy Grace. How did this jury let Exantis slip through their fingers? Joining us tonight, Logan's dad and sister Dane and Coral. So first there is the the horrific news that there's a split verdict which doesn't make any sense. Sense. You have to explain to your children what happened and now a few years pass and he's suddenly out. How did you find out? Exantis has walked?

[Dean Tipton]

I found out in June. Lily had contacted the parole board and was wondering, you know, what was going on. The pro board told her that he was going to be released sometime in October. So our parole hearing really wasn't going to make sense because our parole hearing was going to be in November. So there was nothing that we could do. I didn't find out until the day of October 1st that he had been released that day. So he was done. I'm assuming he was done out of the state of Kentucky by the time I found out.

[Nancy Grace]

Long gone. Long gone. Headed to Florida. So when you find out they have released him, he hadn't even done half of his time. Even on the minimal charges on which he was convicted, he would have done 20. So how did you break that to your family that Exantis has walked free?

[Dean Tipton]

We all, we all were sitting here together. We've been. My father passed away August 22nd. We were all spending a lot of time here at my mom's, and we were all here discussing it together when we found out. There was a lot of emotions, a lot of tears, a lot of anger, a lot of anxiety because that night he told Coral that he was going to kill all of us. And now we're, we're nervous, we're scared that he may come back and try to finish what he started.

[Nancy Grace]

It's still a mystery to most people how this happened, how he walked in less than half the time of his already paltry sentence. This is what, what we've learned.

[Narrator]

Ronald Exantis, who attacked the Tipton family in their sleep, killing 6 year old Logan, released from prison more than 10 years early. The Tiptons and the nation outraged. Calling Exantis release a gross miscarriage of justice. Members of the parole board receiving death threats, but claiming the state's mandatory supervised release law.

When sentenced to 20 years, Exantis has already served more than two. Exantis whittles down another seven and a half years with two good behavior and participation in work and education programs. Kentucky's mandatory supervised release law requires convicts within six months of their estimated end date be released to parole early.

[Nancy Grace]

It's the perfect storm, Mr. Tipton. His good behavior, his going to a class behind bars. Then when you get six months to your release date, they cut you loose. I mean, it all factored in to early release. And then you find out the way that you did. Can you believe he goes? He's supposed to be on these meds, right? He goes from Kentucky straight to Florida and gets a place directly beside an elementary school. Did you know that?

[Dean Tipton]

It's sickening is what that is. It's a disgrace.

[Nancy Grace]

Carl, I want to understand what went through your mind when you hear Exantis that you saw, you saw him in the home, had walked free. First there was a not guilty ngbri by reason of insanity split verdict, but saying for the simple salts, assaults. But now he walks free and nobody even told you.

[Coral Tipton]

I was in the doctor's office when I got the message and the call pop up across my phone that Ronald Exandis had been released. And I just broke down to my doctor and we had a little crying session. And I told her I was scared. I was scared to be in Versailles where he knew that I lived. I was scared to go out because what If I turn and he's done made his way back and he's right behind me.

[Nancy Grace]

So he walks free, then makes his way down to the Sunshine State and moves into a place all on his own, no insanity, directly beside an elementary school. Take a listen to Lieutenant Paul Bloom.

[Lieutenant Paul Bloom]

After further check and looking into his case, we realized that he had failed to do one thing and that was register here as a felon. In Florida, they have 48 hours to register as a felon. And he had failed to do that. So he was told by the Department of Corrections, they're giving a form. It's printed out in whatever language you speak. And he has given that and was told, you have 48 hours to register at the Marion County Sheriff's Office. And we have felons that come here and register every single day of the week. So they know that they're told this. He just willfully flaunted that.

[Nancy Grace]

That is from Marion County, Florida. They acted because he examter failed to fill out a form that all parolees must fill out. And there's more.

[Lieutenant Paul Bloom]

He was standing in his garage out in his driveway, and when we spotted him and he. I think his first words were he didn't know why he was being arrested. But whether he knew that or not, it's hard for me to believe because they are given this. I don't know how all the other 100 felons before him understood that and came here and registered and he's the 101st one did not understand this. So that that argument is invalid for us and for him.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, thank heaven Florida le law enforcement acted. And did you hear that Dean and Coral Tipton, that when Ellie shows up, he's like, why are you arresting me? He knows exactly what's going on. There's no question.

[Dean Tipton]

Yeah, I think he was going to run. I think he never had intentions at all to turn that paperwork into the sheriff's office. I think he was going to run or he was going to kill again.

[Nancy Grace]

Logan's father and sister with us tonight, Dean and Coral. Coral, what is your message to not only crime victims, but the Florida le that apprehended him and the Kentucky government?

[Coral Tipton]

First, I would like to send my thanks to Florida on behalf of my whole entire family. But as far as victims of something like this has happened to you, don't give up, don't stop, and don't back down. Because even though you might feel like the government doesn't care, there are a lot of people around that aren't a part of the government that does care and you will be heard eventually. Just keep fighting. On behalf of Andy Bushir. We'd love to speak to you. You haven't spoke spoke to us. You shut us down every single time. To the Trump administration in the White House. You posted that you were investigating. We still haven't heard anything. And I believe we really need to get on the ball with this because my brother didn't die for no reason. This monster might have took in. Taken him from no reason. But something needs to come up. Something.

[Nancy Grace]

Coral, could you tell me what you want to be when you grow up?

[Coral Tipton]

The moment I am now. But that's all that I want to be as a mom.

[Nancy Grace]

You're going to be the best mom ever to Dean. Mr. Tipton, you have a story about Logan and Sunday school.

[Dean Tipton]

Yes. I've been asked several times how to describe who Logan was. And the best way I know to describing is his Sunday school teacher reached out to me after all this happened. And this was, this was in November, the end of November, Right. A week or 2 before December 7th. She said they were. The Sunday school class was writing down what they were going to give Jesus for his birthday for Christmas. And Logan hadn't written anything down. And the, the Sunday School teach asked him, said, Logan, why haven't you written anything down? And he said, I've already given Jesus. I've already given Jesus my gift. And she said, what was that? And she said, I gave him my heart. This is coming from a six year old little boy. That's who my son was. That's exactly who my son was.

[Nancy Grace]

Mr. Dean Tipton, what is your message to other crime victims tonight?

[Dean Tipton]

Don't. Don't give up. Like Coral said, there are people out there who care. I care. And I'll continue to fight what's right for my son to the day I die. Whether it be we charge this man federally because he crossed state lines, committed a murder. It's called dual solventry. Whatever it takes, I'm going to go to my grave fighting for justice for Logan and my family.

[Nancy Grace]

Mr. Dean Tipton and Coral, please know that we're going to go with you.

[Coral Tipton]

Thank you.

[Dean Tipton]

Thank you so much. Good night.

[Nancy Grace]

And now we remember American hero, Trooper Nicholas Caton, Ohio State Patrol, killed in the line of duty. Leaving behind a grieving wife and two beautiful children. Sentenced to life without dad. American hero, Trooper Nicholas Caton. Nancy Grace, signing off. Goodbye, friend.

[Coral Tipton]

This is an I Heart podcast.