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Horace Roberts a Black man from California who was framed for the murder of his lover has now been exonerated after new evidence proved him innocent.

The recent DNA testing of evidence found the crime scene pointed to the two suspects responsible for the murder. Now new arrests have made and Roberts finally gets to enjoy freedom after being in prison 20 years.

In April of 1998 police discovered a woman identified as Terry Yvette Cheek, who was strangled and dead. A pickup truck was also found nearby the body on the side of California’s I-15 in Riverside County.

The Initial investigation lead investigators to Roberts who owned the truck and a wristwatch found at the scene of the crime was believed to be his as well.

Roberts was later convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 and was sentenced to 15 years to life. However, later the California Innocence Project found that the wristwatch wasn’t Roberts’ and he wasn’t the one driving his truck.

New evidence from DNA test connects Cheek’s husband Googie Harris, and Harris’ nephew, Joaquin Leal, to the murder. Harris, now age 62, and Leal, now age 52, have been arrested in the case and are being held on murder charges in lieu of $1 million bails.

Brian Sussman, the retired Riverside County prosecutor who tried Roberts for murder three times, was remorseful. He said, “I thought we were doing the right thing. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. It should have never happened.”

Roberts has been out of prison since October 3. He is now in South Carolina with his family, including his wife who was with him despite the trials and his three children, who are now adults.

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