Georgia twin released on parole after serving 16 years for mother's murder

Tasmiyah Whitehead, one of the so-called “Twisted Twins,” was released on parole from Pulaski State Prison after completing 16 years of a 20-year manslaughter term, along with extra time for a knife possession conviction and false statements. The twins had stabbed their mother, Jarmecca “Nikki” Whitehead, dozens of times in a 2010 dispute at their Rockdale County home. Both sisters accepted plea deals that reduced murder charges to voluntary manslaughter in 2014.

While Tasmiyah became eligible for parole in 2017, she was not released until August following a board decision. Her sister Jasmiyah is not eligible for parole until May 2028. Their grandmother, Lynda Whitehead, publicly decried the sentences, saying the court failed to value the victim. The case remains a point of contention in the local community.