Man once on the run for 35 years dies in prison

A Columbia man once on the run for a decades-old murder has died in prison.

Johnny Wright evaded justice for more than 30 years after Becky Doisy disappeared in 1976.

Wright was the last person to see Doisy alive, but police could never make a case against him until 2009 when he was arrested while undergoing a background check for a job.

Wright was eventually convicted in 2011.

Doisy’s family told ABC 17 News on Tuesday that they are relieved that Wright died Thursday night.

Becky’s sister, Kathy, said she was worried after getting a phone call a couple of days ago that Wright could get medical parole.

“I am relieved. This may sound vindictive, but I did not want him to get it, and I knew they only had three days to decide that. So when they called me Friday morning I was afraid they were going to tell me he was released. Instead she told me he passed away in his sleep and I was relieved,” Kathy Doisy said.

Doisy said she feels that justice was served, even though Wright only served four years of his 30 year sentence.

“My main interest in that was that he would die alone in jail, and he did, so yes, justice was served, and the length of time I didn’t really care about,” said Doisy.

Boone County assistant prosecutor Cecily Daller who invested many years and hours into this case expressed similar feelings Tuesday.

“The day he was convicted justice was served,” Daller said.

Becky Doisy’s body has never been found.

“He was never going to tell us where her body was. He was not that type of person,” said Kathy Doisy.