I hope he is put somewhere he is not a threat to others, but is also kept away from those who would prey on him. This is truly a sad story for all involved with no clear answers.

I agree with all the posts above. After 4 trips to prison have done nothing to deter his criminal activity, let's just stick him somewhere for the remainder of his life. Maybe that sounds harsh to some, but it's necessary.

The story seems to be real (although who ever reallyknows?) and this link has a larger photo and more details, including what the pastor is saying now that's it's gone viral.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2013/02/01/pastor-apologizes-for...

@TrollKiller: I have stopped and given food/water/money several times to people in the area as well as worked with local groups. I've heard straight from the mouth of some homeless people that they have been banned from a shelter or group for a set amount of time after breaking the rules. I've also talked to the Salvation Army shelter and they will tell you they turn people away if they are obviously on something. I've had several conversations with Rayanne herself on the corner at North Ave. So, I suppose it's a mixture of my observations and talking with the homeless.

Deleted double post. Sorry.

Let's not forget there is a homeless shelter within sight of this camp. They do have options. So why aren't they at the shelter? Because the local shelters will not allow you to use drugs or commit crimes (i.e. prostitution) on their property. Many of these people will flat out admit to you that they won't go to a shelter because they can't use there or have already broken the rules and the shelter is not allowing them to come back. There are people trying to help the homeless, but they must learn to help themselves a little as well.

This woman might as well list the jail as her permanent address because she has been arrested dozens of times. She has many addiction and health issues and will never be a productive citizen. Granted, she has had some unfortunate things happen to her, but mostly due to her own bad choices. She has been offered help by every bleeding heart organization in Athens and some in Atlanta and still returns to her old habits. I don't know what the answer is for people like her, but this sounds like it could have been very serious with fire near a gas line. Thankfully it wasn't a huge tragedy.

Thank you so much, Joe, for posting a happy update to this story. It is wonderful to hear of a good outcome for someone who truly deserves it!

This is not my area of expertise, but isn't Parkview public housing? Are residents allowed to have roommates moving in? Obviously the one man is a romantic partner, but a third roommate is also mentioned. If you are living in taxpayer subsidized housing, I don't think you should be allowed to make money for yourself by renting out the place. Probably another example of someone who is happy to live off the government forever.

This is such a sad story, made even worse by the fact that this murderer has already been in prison before. I realize all crimes don't deserve a life sentence or the death penalty, but doesn't it seem awful that we had this criminal in captivity and released him to take an innocent, elderly man's life?

I sincerely hope he is not offered any kind of deal again. 12 years for murder is not enough and he has thoroughly proven that the system did not "rehabilitate" him. This woman was very lucky she woke up. I hate to think what the headline would read like if she had not!

If you have dealt with the ankle monitors at all, you know how truly unreliable they are. For petty drug users, maybe it's a good solution, but anyone with a history of violence should not be released with a monitor. They are put on and monitored by a private company. I dealt with the monitors (on the right side of the law, I might add) and it's like pulling teeth to get reliable information out of the company. I was under the impression there was real time monitoring and the company would notify the authorites if the offender strayed. In reality, the court system has to ask for a print out of the offender's status and then the report is looked over to see if they have left their boundaries. Things may have changed, but this was how it worked in my experience. I like Judge Stephens, but wish they would think a little harder on some of these decisions.

Doesn't anyone want to run for sheriff? Please. It's about time for someone new!

I couldn't even stand up for 12 hours, much less run it! This is a great cause and I hope he raises lots of money. It's always nice to see positive stories about people doing good things.

I don't understand how this place can be running out of money! Clarke County had to have helped them earn a pretty penny when they were holding 100-plus of our inmates for over a year. Charging per inmate per day, it seems like they would be turning a profit. Maybe I'm missing something.

As a former employee of a nationwide nonprofit I heard of many scams like this. That's why I encourage giving to reputable charities and letting them handle the disbursement of funds. That way the organization can pay directly to doctors, hospitals, etc. Even if the person really is sick, there's no guarantee the money will be spent in a way the donor prefers. How would you feel if you donated your hard earned money, the child was cured a week later, then you saw the parent driving a new BMW or vacationing in Jamaica the next? I know I'd feel cheated! Yes, it sounds pessimistic, but it also happens every day. Give but give wisely!

If you are blessed enough to have known Conrad Fink, you are truly sad for this great loss. I was in awe just being in his presence. We have lost a great and accomplished man; a wise gentleman. Keep spreading the news up there, Fink!

I don't pretend to understand all the details of the laws regarding SPLOST and how it's spent, but I do know that anything requiring money to be spent on art should be repealed during these hard economic times. From the comments here, I feel certain the county citizens would agree.

As someone with family and friends working at the jail, I'm not surprised in the least that money connected to it is being wasted. I consider myself pretty moderate, but some of the things certain individuals want to provide for inmates is ridiculous! All the while the workers are underpaid, underappreciated, and generally treated worse than the inmates by their bosses. I strongly urge all Athens citizens as well as local officials to pay careful attention to how your money is being spent as the new jail is built.

This is not the same person as James Hood who was recently arrested for murder. He is still in custody.

Jamie Hood was sentenced to 12 years in 1999 for armed robbery. I suppose he's been released from prison recently and now this.