Eileen Taylor

Eileen was sexually assaulted, beaten, and stabbed by a 15 year old in Pennsylvania.

COM. v. HINES

Juvenile lifer re-sentenced after 47 years in 1970 killing of Sacred Heart student

He was a convicted killer at the age of 15. Now William Hines of Homewood is a 62-year-old man who — with Tuesday’s ruling by a judge — will be now eligible for parole in a few years, but not guaranteed he’ll get out of prison.

Vctim Eileen Willa Taylor was 17 years old and weeks away from graduating from Sacred Heart High School when she was sexually assaulted, beaten, stabbed and murdered in 1970.

Now, 47 years later, her three sisters had to speak about the impact of the crime on their family before Judge Kevin Sasinoski re-sentenced Taylor’s killer, Hines, to 50 years to life.

“I’m very happy the judge did that, even though I realize he has spent a lot of time in prison. But this, the acts that he did, was terrible. I think that he should pay the whole price for what he did,” Taylor’s sister, Anne Collins, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.

Collins said her sister’s death had a devastating impact on her father’s life, leading him into depression. He died at 61.

“(Hines) sort of tore our family apart, and he ruined my dad’s life,” Collins said.

Heinz has spent most of his life in prison as a “juvenile lifer.” In court on Tuesday, his head was shaved and balding and his beard was gray.

The Supreme Court has ruled that anyone who was a juvenile when sentenced to life has to be resentenced to at least be eligible for parole.

Hines’ friend from prison in the 1980s, Lawrence Chislom, testified that Hines is a changed man.

“I feel very sad. you know. Because Billy, he’s been locked up a long time,” Chisholm told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “He’s really basically a good guy. And we had a lot planned for him if he’d have got released.”

Retired Pittsburgh Police Commander Ron Freeman investigated the killing in 1970. He testified to recount the details of the case.

During a court recess, Freeman told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, “I don’t think he’s rehabilitated. Because he’s been in fights in jail, he’s assaulted people in jail, he’s using drugs in jail, he’s using alcohol in jail.”

Chisolm said that Hines had changed his life since converting to Islam.

Under Tuesday’s resentencing, Hines must now wait three years before he can ask for parole. He can also appeal the decision by Sasinoski to a higher court.