A Michigan man has been freed 16-years after he was convicted of the murder and rape of a 68-year-old woman. Jamie Lee Peterson, 39, walked to freedom after DNA evidence cleared him of the brutal killing of retired school teacher, Geraldine Montgomery. The crime rocked the small town of Kalkaska and Peterson quickly confessed to the murder before denying it. On Friday the county prosecutor said that all charges would be dropped after new evidence proved the guilty verdict for the 1996 killing was unsafe. Jamie Peterson, (left), is released from the Kalkaska County jail in Kalkaska, Michigan on Monday after 16 years in a Michigan prison . 'I'm very elated,' said Peterson's former attorney, Robert Carey to the Traverse City Record Eagle. 'It's been a long wait, 18 years to finally get justice, but we did get justice today and I'm very happy about that.' Mike Perreault, the Kalkaska County Prosecutor said that he won't pursue any new charges against Peterson. Petersen's conviction was vacated on August 14 after a new sample of DNA found at the crime scene and retested last year matched someone else entirely to the rape and murder. 'Time and time again facts were fed to him and when he got facts wrong, the officers told him he got the facts wrong and told him when he got the facts right,' said Peterson's current attorney, David Moran to the Traverse City Record Eagle. Shocking: The town of Kalkaska was rocked by the murder and rape of schoolteacher Geraldine Montgomery, 68, in 1996. Jamie Lee Peterson, (right) admitted the crime initially, but then recanted his confession . Release: More than 16 years after his conviction, Jamie Lee Peterson has been freed by a Michigan court . 'That’s a real red flag when you see somebody who doesn’t get the facts right initially. That’s a real indicator that you have a likely false confession.' Moran, who is the director at the University of Michigan's Innocence Clinic, said that the result was 'a great relief.' 'It is inconceivable that Jamie could have done this crime without leaving any evidence. All the evidence points to one man. We now know who that is,' he added, according to NBC. Despite his wrongful conviction, Peterson will struggle to get any compensation. Michigan is one of 22 states that do not have a compensation law. However, his legal team are going to look at a civil lawsuit.
Jamie Lee Peterson, 39, freed after Michigan court vacated conviction .
Confessed to the 1996 murder during questioning but recanted this .
New DNA evidence found at the scene has proved another unidentified man committed rape and murder of Geraldine Montgomery .
A Michigan man has been freed 16-years after he was convicted of the murder and rape of a 68-year-old woman. Jamie Lee Peterson, 39, walked to freedom after DNA evidence cleared him of the brutal killing of retired school teacher, Geraldine Montgomery. The crime rocked the small town of Kalkaska and Peterson quickly confessed to the murder before denying it. On Friday the county prosecutor said that all charges would be dropped after new evidence proved the guilty verdict for the 1996 killing was unsafe. Jamie Peterson, (left), is released from the Kalkaska County jail in Kalkaska, Michigan on Monday after 16 years in a Michigan prison . 'I'm very elated,' said Peterson's former attorney, Robert Carey to the Traverse City Record Eagle. 'It's been a long wait, 18 years to finally get justice, but we did get justice today and I'm very happy about that.' Mike Perreault, the Kalkaska County Prosecutor said that he won't pursue any new charges against Peterson. Petersen's conviction was vacated on August 14 after a new sample of DNA found at the crime scene and retested last year matched someone else entirely to the rape and murder. 'Time and time again facts were fed to him and when he got facts wrong, the officers told him he got the facts wrong and told him when he got the facts right,' said Peterson's current attorney, David Moran to the Traverse City Record Eagle. Shocking: The town of Kalkaska was rocked by the murder and rape of schoolteacher Geraldine Montgomery, 68, in 1996. Jamie Lee Peterson, (right) admitted the crime initially, but then recanted his confession . Release: More than 16 years after his conviction, Jamie Lee Peterson has been freed by a Michigan court . 'That’s a real red flag when you see somebody who doesn’t get the facts right initially. That’s a real indicator that you have a likely false confession.' Moran, who is the director at the University of Michigan's Innocence Clinic, said that the result was 'a great relief.' 'It is inconceivable that Jamie could have done this crime without leaving any evidence. All the evidence points to one man. We now know who that is,' he added, according to NBC. Despite his wrongful conviction, Peterson will struggle to get any compensation. Michigan is one of 22 states that do not have a compensation law. However, his legal team are going to look at a civil lawsuit.
68-year-old woman. Jamie Lee Peterson, 39, walked dropped after new evidence proved the guilty after a new sample of DNA found at the crime entirely to the rape and murder. 'Time and time rape of schoolteacher Geraldine Montgomery, 68, conviction, Jamie Lee Peterson has been freed by a Michigan court . 'That’s a real red flag when