A convicted murderer returned to his native Germany Tuesday after spending 33 years in a U.S. prison for the killing of his girlfriend’s parents.

Jens Soering, 53, the son of a diplomat, was detained in 1986 after the parents of his then girlfriend, 20-year-old Elizabeth Haysom, were found murdered at their Virginia home with multiple stab wounds, BBC reported.

Weeks after the discovery, Soering and Haysom – who investigators later said were prime suspects in the murder – fled to the U.K. Authorities eventually caught up with the couple and deported them to the U.S. to face trial.

Soering initially pleaded guilty, saying he was motivated by the disapproval of Haysom’s parents. He later retracted that statement, telling prosecutors that Haysom was responsible, and that he was trying to protect her from receiving the death penalty. As the son of a diplomat, Soering thought he would receive diplomatic immunity.

Soering’s legal team failed to convince the judges to reopen the trial.

Haysom, a Canadian citizen, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison. She was also deported after her release on parole this year.

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Soering was released on probation Tuesday from Virginia and deported to Germany, BBC reported. He was greeted by friends and supporters upon his arrival at Frankfurt airport, the report said.

“After 33 years, 6 months and 25 days, to finally, finally be back in Germany, it’s so great,” he said. “I am so happy. This is really the best day of my life.”

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Though banned from entering the U.S., Soering is a free man in Germany.

He did not say where he planned to live in Germany and took no questions at the airport. He asked reporters to respect his privacy for the next few weeks while he tries to settle back into society.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.