A convicted killer who later identified as transgender was released from an Indiana prison decades ahead of schedule, with local prosecutors saying they were not notified before the individual returned to the community, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Autumn Cordellioné, who was sentenced to 55 years in prison in 2002 for the death of 11-month-old Faith Lee, was released on parole and returned to Evansville, Indiana, in December, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.
The release came after Cordellioné served less than half of the original sentence.
EXCLUSIVE
A trans-identified male convicted of murdering a baby has been quietly released from prison 30 YEARS EARLY.
Jonathan “Autumn Cordellioné” Richardson was turned loose in Evansville, Indiana, with no notice given to prosecutors or the public.https://t.co/DZbbXPe6Ys [2]
— REDUXX (@reduxx) April 9, 2026 [3]
Authorities in Vanderburgh County said they only became aware of the release after being contacted by a citizen who recognized Cordellioné in public.
That individual reportedly identified him based on coverage of the 2002 trial, when he was known as Jonathan Richardson.
“The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office was not notified that this defendant was back in the community — they were spotted by a citizen who recognized them from the original court case,” Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers told the Courier & Press.
According to records from the Indiana Department of Corrections, the earliest possible release date listed for Cordellioné was Dec. 29, 2025.
It remains unclear exactly when the parole was granted, and the department did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the timeline or notification procedures.
The underlying case dates back to Sept. 12, 2001, when Richardson, then 19 years old, was caring for his girlfriend’s 11-month-old daughter at their shared home in Evansville.
Authorities said the infant, Faith Lee, was strangled to death. Richardson was later convicted of reckless homicide in 2002 and sentenced to 55 years in prison.
While incarcerated, Richardson was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2020 and later changed his name to Autumn Cordellioné.
In March 2025, Cordellioné successfully sued the Indiana Department of Corrections over its policy prohibiting gender-affirming surgery for inmates.
“Convicted murderers don’t get to demand that taxpayers foot the bill for expensive and controversial sex-change operations. It lacks all common sense,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said at the time.
“We won’t stop defending our state’s ban on using taxpayer funds to provide sex-change surgeries to prisoners.”
In April 2025, Cordellioné filed a separate lawsuit against President Trump, alleging the president’s “extremist rhetoric” against transgender people contributed to violent and sexual attacks against him while he was housed in an all-male prison.
A transgender inmate in Illinois has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, alleging that he was assaulted in prison as a result of Trump’s “transphobic rhetoric.”
Autumn Cordellioné is serving a 55-year prison sentence for murdering a baby.https://t.co/OWrWSXfmEE [4]
— REDUXX (@reduxx) April 21, 2025 [5]
Cordellioné also filed another legal complaint while incarcerated, alleging that a prison chaplain denied him access to a hijab.
Following his release, reports indicate Cordellioné has launched an account on the subscription-based platform OnlyFans, though details about the account have not been independently confirmed by authorities.
The case has drawn renewed attention to communication breakdowns between state and local officials regarding the release of convicted violent offenders.
Just days before the news of Cordellioné’s release became public, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1250 into law on March 3.
The legislation requires the Indiana Department of Corrections to notify local prosecutors, sheriffs, and police chiefs at least one week before the release of a violent felon.
Officials have not indicated whether the law will apply retroactively or impact cases like Cordellioné’s, but local authorities have pointed to the situation as an example of the need for improved notification procedures. procedures.