Ronald Exantus arrested in Florida after being released from KY prison

Police in Florida arrested Ronald Exantus on Thursday, after learning he had left Kentucky and relocated to Marion County, FL.

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A man who served less than half of his sentence for killing a 6-year-old Kentucky boy has been arrested in Florida after authorities discovered he was living directly next to an elementary school and had failed to register as a convicted felon.

42-year-old Ronald Exantus was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Intel Unit on Thursday at a home investigators say sits immediately adjacent to two schools.

"The fact that he was living right next to an elementary school is even more repulsive," said Sheriff Billy Woods. "I am proud of the quick response by my deputies and the inter-agency teamwork that helped locate and arrest this disgusting individual. I have no tolerance for this type of dangerous person flaunting our laws and thinking he would hide out in our county."

The arrest comes just weeks after Exantus's controversial release from a Kentucky prison sparked public outrage and even threats against state parole board members.

In December 2015, Exantus broke into a home in Versailles, Kentucky, and stabbed 6-year-old Logan Tipton to death while the child slept. The attack was completely random, according to court documents. Exantus had no connection to the Tipton family. Using a knife from their own kitchen, he also attacked Logan's father and sister during the invasion.

While Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, he was convicted on assault charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

After serving only seven years of his sentence, Exantus was released last month under what Kentucky officials say was mandatory supervision required by state law. The release triggered a firestorm of criticism, with even the White House weighing in on the case.

Here's where things got complicated: Kentucky's Parole Board actually voted unanimously to keep Exantus behind bars. But under Kentucky law, the Department of Corrections was required to release him anyway as part of a mandatory reentry supervision program.

"Despite repeatedly voting for Ronald Exantus to remain in prison, Parole Board members have faced significant threats over the last several days," said Ladeidra N. Jones, chair of the Kentucky Parole Board. The confusion over who was responsible for the release led to parole board members and their families receiving death threats and having their personal information posted online.

Discovery in Florida

The Marion County Sheriff's Office received a tip that Exantus had relocated from Kentucky to Florida and might be living in their jurisdiction. Deputies with the Intel Unit quickly investigated and confirmed his presence in Marion County.

There was a problem: Exantus had failed to register as a convicted felon with the sheriff's office within 48 hours as required by Florida law.

When deputies arrived at the Marion Oaks address, they found Exantus and arrested him without incident. But the location raised immediate red flags.

Exantus is now being held in the Marion County Jail with no bond.

According to Kentucky Department of Corrections records, Exantus was scheduled to remain on supervised parole until June of next year.

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