An 87-year-old World War II hero from central Florida will be a free man for the first time in more than eight years.
A judge in Polk County ordered Tuesday that Abner Aust be released from jail. The highly decorated World War II flying ace has been either in jail or prison after trying to hire someone to kill one of his ex-wives and burn down her house.
Prosecutors wanted him sentenced to more time in prison, but state Circuit Judge Randall McDonald credited Aust with time served and released him. Aust, whose health is deteriorating, will be on house arrest and live either with his son or friends.
Aust was a 23-year-old captain when he flew 14 combat missions in a P-51 Mustang over Japan in 1945.
Source: tallahassee.com
