By ANYSSA BOHANAN
CENTRAL OREGON DAILY
The Oregon State Board of Parole is considering the release of a Redmond man convicted of murder more than 30 years ago – and the board has the support of current Deschutes County DA John Hummel.
“This was one of the most horrific cases in Deschutes County history,” Hummel said.
In 1987, then 18-year-old Randy Guzek and 18-year-old Mark Wilson, shot and killed Terrebonne couple Rod and Louis Houser in their home.
“Kids from Redmond who got high on methamphetamine, did a bunch of burglaries and on this night just brutally murdered the Housers,” Hummel said. “Guzek was a horrific person, Wilson absolutely went along with it, one of the people who pulled the trigger.”
In 1988, Guzek was convicted and received the death penalty. He has been retried several times and each time sentenced to death.
Wilson took a plea deal and was offered life with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 30 years.
At his second parole hearing last week, the state parole board stated that he was likely to be rehabilitated.
Hummel, who also testified at the hearing, agreed.
“There are 10 criteria in Oregon law that the parole board has to consider and that I have to consider prior to making a recommendation. When I came into office I took an oath to uphold the law in Oregon whether I agree or disagree with the law. I could say to the parole board that he’s not rehabilitated and these are the reasons he’s not rehabilitated, but I couldn’t lie,” Hummel said. “There was nothing else to look at other than the fact that he did everything we asked him to do and that’s why I told the parole board that he’s earned the right to go to the next step in the process.”
That next step will be another parole hearing in April next year, a step away from determining whether Wilson could be released.
Hummel says that, despite his recommendation of parole, he still feels for the Houser family.
“I’ve made the recommendation I’ve made because the law required me to make it, not out of any disrespect or lack of feelings for the Houser family.” he said. “I will carry their burden with me my entire life.”
