By . Lydia Warren . Richard Linklater, who directed the film 'Bernie' about a convicted murderer played by Jack Black, has opened up about living with the killer at the heart of the movie. Bernie Tiede, who served 17 years for shooting his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent and stashing her body in a freezer, was ordered to live with Linklater when he was released early in May. For the past two months, 55-year-old Tiede, who worked as a mortician in Carthage, Texas before his arrest, has been living in Linklater's garage at his Austin home while working as a paralegal. 'I picked him up getting released, and he started work the next week,' Linklater told Page Six. 'He says, "It's a miracle," but I was like, "Yeah, but life wasn't always the best to you".' Roommates: Director Richard Linklater, pictured at a screening of his latest film on Monday, spoke about his ongoing friendship with killer Bernie Tiede, who is living in his garage after being released in May, right . 'There's so many people in our world behind bars who, given a bit of attention, and legal support, they would have much different results not just guilt or innocence, but sentencing.' Tiede also has a bicycle, which was a gift from his new neighbors, but is keeping a low profile. He has still not seen the movie that ultimately helped lead to his release. Linklater, whose film came out in 2012 to rave reviews, fought for two years with others for an early release for Tiede after it emerged that he had endured years of sexual abuse as a child. He had been joined in his fight by Danny Buck Davidson, the district . attorney who prosecuted Tiede for the 1996 murder and who was played by Matthew McConaughey in the movie. Victim: Tiede is pictured with his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent, whom he shot dead in 1996 . On screen: Linklater directed the film version of the story starring Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine . They aimed to reduce Tiede's sentence after a local attorney, Jodi Cole, investigated the case after watching the movie and learned from a psychiatrist's report that he had been abused. It said that the experience made him vulnerable to unhealthy relationships - notes that changed Davidson's view about the case. The convicted murderer was freed on May 6. 'My whole point in the movie was this: . Can the nicest guy in the world actually be capable (of murder)?' Linklater previously told Variety. 'The answer . is yes. So anybody who's too sure of their own behavior… given the . wrong relationship, who knows what anyone's capable of?' He also applauded Davidson for his courage to change his mind when faced with the full facts. 'This is Texas justice,' Linklater says. 'He didn’t have to do that, but I always sensed he was a good guy.' Support: Linklater, pictured in court in May, became friends with Tiede and fought for his early release . Marjorie Nugent, who was portrayed by Shirley MacLaine in the movie, disappeared in 1996 and was found dead in a freezer in Carthage nine months later. She had a reputation among townspeople as a crotchety cheapskate. The case was exceptional because, even though Tiede confessed to his guilt, many members of his community supported him. The trial was moved to a nearby town. The movie depicted Tiede as a sympathetic . figure who gave money to charitable causes and helped local businesses, . while Nugent was seen as a crotchety cheapskate. Nugent's relatives . have protested that portrayal. Linklater spoke to Page Six as he promoted his movie 'Boyhood,' which stars Ellar Coltrane over 12 years, starting when he was 7.
Bernie Tiede, 55, was ordered to live in Linklater's garage in Austin, Texas when he was released early from prison in May .
He has a job as a paralegal, rides a bike and calls his release a 'miracle'
Tiede was found guilty of killing his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent in 1996 and the story became the subject of 2012 film 'Bernie'
After the film's release, a local attorney delved into the case and learned that Tiede had been sexually abused as a child .
The revelations led to the prosecutor to view the case differently and Tiede was released in May after 17 years behind bars .
By . Lydia Warren . Richard Linklater, who directed the film 'Bernie' about a convicted murderer played by Jack Black, has opened up about living with the killer at the heart of the movie. Bernie Tiede, who served 17 years for shooting his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent and stashing her body in a freezer, was ordered to live with Linklater when he was released early in May. For the past two months, 55-year-old Tiede, who worked as a mortician in Carthage, Texas before his arrest, has been living in Linklater's garage at his Austin home while working as a paralegal. 'I picked him up getting released, and he started work the next week,' Linklater told Page Six. 'He says, "It's a miracle," but I was like, "Yeah, but life wasn't always the best to you".' Roommates: Director Richard Linklater, pictured at a screening of his latest film on Monday, spoke about his ongoing friendship with killer Bernie Tiede, who is living in his garage after being released in May, right . 'There's so many people in our world behind bars who, given a bit of attention, and legal support, they would have much different results not just guilt or innocence, but sentencing.' Tiede also has a bicycle, which was a gift from his new neighbors, but is keeping a low profile. He has still not seen the movie that ultimately helped lead to his release. Linklater, whose film came out in 2012 to rave reviews, fought for two years with others for an early release for Tiede after it emerged that he had endured years of sexual abuse as a child. He had been joined in his fight by Danny Buck Davidson, the district . attorney who prosecuted Tiede for the 1996 murder and who was played by Matthew McConaughey in the movie. Victim: Tiede is pictured with his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent, whom he shot dead in 1996 . On screen: Linklater directed the film version of the story starring Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine . They aimed to reduce Tiede's sentence after a local attorney, Jodi Cole, investigated the case after watching the movie and learned from a psychiatrist's report that he had been abused. It said that the experience made him vulnerable to unhealthy relationships - notes that changed Davidson's view about the case. The convicted murderer was freed on May 6. 'My whole point in the movie was this: . Can the nicest guy in the world actually be capable (of murder)?' Linklater previously told Variety. 'The answer . is yes. So anybody who's too sure of their own behavior… given the . wrong relationship, who knows what anyone's capable of?' He also applauded Davidson for his courage to change his mind when faced with the full facts. 'This is Texas justice,' Linklater says. 'He didn’t have to do that, but I always sensed he was a good guy.' Support: Linklater, pictured in court in May, became friends with Tiede and fought for his early release . Marjorie Nugent, who was portrayed by Shirley MacLaine in the movie, disappeared in 1996 and was found dead in a freezer in Carthage nine months later. She had a reputation among townspeople as a crotchety cheapskate. The case was exceptional because, even though Tiede confessed to his guilt, many members of his community supported him. The trial was moved to a nearby town. The movie depicted Tiede as a sympathetic . figure who gave money to charitable causes and helped local businesses, . while Nugent was seen as a crotchety cheapskate. Nugent's relatives . have protested that portrayal. Linklater spoke to Page Six as he promoted his movie 'Boyhood,' which stars Ellar Coltrane over 12 years, starting when he was 7.
directed the film 'Bernie' about a convicted movie. Bernie Tiede, who served 17 years for shooting his 81-year-old companion Marjorie ordered to live with Linklater when he was living in Linklater's garage at his Austin home living in his garage after being released in May, behind bars who, given a bit of attention, and endured years of sexual abuse as a child. He had Linklater directed the film version of the story watching the movie and learned from a psychiatrist's report that he had been abused. It Davidson's view about the case. The convicted release . Marjorie Nugent, who was portrayed by 1996 and was found dead in a freezer in Carthage