LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Donald Southworth, the Lexington man who was sentenced in the death of his wife, is now out of custody, according to the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Southworth was initially charged and convicted of murder in the death of his wife, Umi Southworth. She was found beaten outside her Lexington home in 2010.
The murder conviction was thrown out in 2016, and Southworth then entered an Alford plea, which means he doesn't admit guilt but concedes there's enough evidence to convict him. He was sentenced to 15 years for a manslaughter charge.
The Kentucky Department of Corrections confirms Southworth served out his sentence and was released on Monday.
Umi Southworth's death became a high-profile case in Lexington, in part because of how police conducted their investigation. It was several hours until officers realized Umi was still alive. She later died at the hospital.
The city has since changed its policy when it comes to death investigations. Officers are no longer allowed to determine if someone is dead or not. Medical personnel must be called to the scene to make that determination.
