Bee Staff

A man who chased his ex-girlfriend into her Davis apartment, shot and killed her friend and then shot her several times through the heart in 1980 lost his bid for parole this week, according to Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig.

Daniel Wehner was denied parole by the full panel of eleven commissioners of the Board of Parole Hearings, Reisig said in a news release.

Wehner was 26 when he killed Robin Ehlman, 20, and her friend John Manville. In 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger overturned a decision to parole Wehner, saying the details of the "terrifying incident" indicate Wehner is too dangerous to be released from prison, The Bee reported.

Wehner had been stalking Ehlman and physically abused her during their relationship, causing her to lose consciousness after choking her on at least one occasion, Reisig said.

On June 19, 1981, Wehner was sentenced to 27 years to life for the murders, Reisig said.

A court appointed psychiatrist interviewed Wehner's family prior to the sentencing hearing, Reisig said.

Family members described him as "irresponsible," having an "explosive temper," and "violent." "He had a winning personality and charmed older people but had not an ounce of sincerity." Wehner's family described Robin as "soft and gentle," Reisig said.

Reisig gave this account of the events leading up to the decision to not parole Wehner:

At a Sept. 10 parole hearing, the two commissioners were unable to agree on whether or not to give Wehner a parole date. This split decision resulted in a hearing this week before the full panel.

A heavy hitter lineup spoke against Wehner's release at the hearing.

Those included two of John Manville's sisters; Robin Ehlman's father, younger sister and niece; Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven; Davis Police Chief Landy Black; and District Attorney Investigator John Updergraff who was a Davis police officer on his first week on the job at the time of the murders.

Police Chief Black said that Wehner's "release will do nothing but raise the fears of citizens seeking the solace of peace, order, and justice in their communities and will only degrade their sense that justice prevails."

Investigator Updergraff recalled these murders as being the most gruesome he has seen in over 30 years of law enforcement. When he arrived at the apartment, Manville was not yet dead. The man's dying sounds left an indelible impression on him, he said.

Robin Ehlman's younger sister Tracy Haynes told the commissioners: "It is too late to save my sister Robin or John even though we desperately tried. Now it is about protecting my own children and society. You have no idea the type of individual you are dealing with but I do. Please don't let us down again. Let's learn from our mistakes the first time around and keep the rest of my family, especially my children, and the rest of society safe from Mr. Wehner."

Reisig said that "We will continue to do everything we can to support the Ehlman and Manville families."

Wehner will be eligible for parole consideration again in three years, Reisig said.