Ronald Exantus is being extradited back to Kentucky

Florida officials announce Ronald Exantus is being extradited back to Kentucky.

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The man convicted in the death of a 6-year-old Kentucky boy, who was arrested in Florida is now headed back to Kentucky.

"10:55 his ass was out of my jail, and probably right now if I was to guess- it's one o'clock- he's probably about to cross the Florida Georgia line and continue his way to Kentucky, where he should be", Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said.

In a press conference on Tuesday that included Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, officials announced Exantus was being moved back to the state where he was released.

Exantus was charged with stabbing and killing Logan Tipton in 2015. In 2018, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The jury found him guilty but mentally ill of assaulting members of the Tipton family in the attack. But those assault charges are not considered "violent offenses" in Kentucky, so he was not required to serve the majority of his prison sentence and was released after serving seven years.

The Kentucky Parole Board voted unanimously to keep him in prison, but Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision.

"The parole board in Kentucky did the right thing," Sheriff Woods said, "and because of some stupid, obscure law that Kentucky has that murderer came here, that was his mistake".

Exantus was taken into custody by the Marion County Sheriff's Office Intel Unit earlier this month, after being arrested at a home investigators say sits immediately adjacent to two schools.

"An individual who had already killed a 6-year-old, stabbed his sister and if it hadn't been for his father, probably would've went either further... next to one of my schools... I won't tolerate it," Woods said.

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. He was arrested and charged with failing to register as a convicted felon.

Now, he's being sent back to Kentucky to face probation violation charges.

During that Tuesday press conference, the Florida sheriff had a message for Kentucky:

"Kentucky, if you're listening, keep their asses in your state. Do not allow them to come to Florida," Woods said.

It's still unclear where exactly Exantus is being moved to within Kentucky, and what will happen next in his case. I have reached out to the Kentucky Justice Cabinet for more information.

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