Brian Beals

Years served
35
Convicted in
Cook
Freed
2023
Exonerated
2023
Brian Beals was a senior at Southern Illinois University and college football player in 1988 when, on a visit home, he was wrongfully accused of shooting and killing a child. Decades later, newly discovered evidence, including testimony from five witnesses and enhancement of police photographs of bullet holes in Brian’s car, helped prove his innocence.