Rae Carruth, a former NFL star, owned the headlines for the worst possible reason: He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder of his girlfriend and attempting to destroy their unborn child nearly 20 years ago. He is scheduled to be set free from prison within 24 hours.

Barring anything unforeseen, Carruth is set to walk out of Sampson Correctional Institution in Clinton, North Carolina, a free man, sometime before 5:00 p.m. ET tomorrow. This is according to WBTV.

The former Carolina Panthers wide receiver talked with CNN affiliate WSOC from prison by telephone a few days ago.

"I'm excited about just being out of here," Carruth said to the station. "I'm nervous just about how I'll be received by the public. I still have to work. I still have to live. I have to exist out there, and it just seems like there is so much hate and negativity toward me."

On November 16, 1999, a hit man hired by Carruth, shot his 24-year-old girlfriend, Cherica Adams, who was 8 months pregnant while Carruth watched. Adams later died, and their son was born premature and suffers from cerebral palsy which is a result of the shooting and difficult birth.

Read the full story and war of words over the custody battle here:





- Don Stuck – “Home of the Typo.”

Follow Don Stuck on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.