Parents in California urge Governor Newsom to keep their daughter's murderer in prison.

In 2010, a 13-year-old girl was run over by a suicidal driver in Malibu. The girl's parents are now appealing to California Gov. Gavin Newsom to prevent the release of the felon, who was deemed suitable for parole by a parole board.

In 2010, Emily Shane was killed by Sina Khankhanian, who drove recklessly on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and crashed into her vehicle.

Emily, a carefree, fun-loving teen who loved sports and dancing, was walking to meet her father after a sleepover at a friend's house when Khankhanian ultimately ended her life.

In 2012, Khankhanian, who is now 41, was convicted of second-degree murder and received a sentence of 15 years to life in prison. At the time of his trial, Khankhanian stated that he was feeling upset and had suicidal thoughts due to losing his job a few days prior. Additionally, his attorney argued that Khankhanian did not fully understand the consequences of his actions that day due to his autism.

In June 2023, a parole board granted him parole, but Newsom reversed the decision in October 2023.

In October 2024, the board approved Khankhanian's parole and release, but Newsom has not intervened, meaning the prisoner is on the verge of becoming a free man, much to the ire and frustration of the Shanes.

According to Michel, only Gov. Newsom or the team that reviews paroles and makes recommendations to him has the power to make a decision.

The couple claim that Khankhanian continues to pose a threat to society and has not shown any remorse for the murder of their daughter.

Emily was hit by a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer moments before Michel passed her on the road.

Michel was sitting at a light when he saw a driver in a Mitsubishi speeding and weaving through traffic. He was going at 75-80 miles per hour and Michel thought it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened.

Upon arriving at the pickup spot to retrieve Emily, Michel discovered that she was nowhere to be found. Following urgent phone calls to his spouse, they soon learned that Emily had been involved in an accident.

"Ellen said that he hit Emily and threw her 30 feet in the air, but she actually hit a sign first and fell. His car went up an embankment, flipped, and came out without a scratch."

"This man, who had driven for over 17 miles like a maniac, had left his home in a trailer park and written a suicide note before he left."

One of the most challenging aspects of the tragedy for Ellen was hearing the fire chief's testimony in court, during which he disclosed his conversation with Khankhanian following Emily's death inside an ambulance.

The fire chief said, "I don't give a f---," and then added, "That b---- deserved to die." Ellen quoted him verbatim.

According to court documents, an eyewitness who arrived on the scene and asked Khankhanian to get out before his car exploded said that Khankhanian responded by saying, "F--- you. Leave me alone. F--- off. I want to die. Just leave me alone." The eyewitness found Emily on the ground, around 30 to 40 feet from Khankhanian's car.

Ellen stated that she is a forgiving individual, and if Khankhanian had admitted it was an accident and pleaded for forgiveness, she would have granted it.

"Ellen stated that although losing a child is the most significant loss a person can experience, in this case, it was not the worst loss. The man who hit a young child walking was utterly remorseless, according to Ellen."

Court documents reveal that Khankhanian consumed four glasses of wine and took pills belonging to his fiancée prior to driving under the influence. He had been dismissed from his veterinary clinic job two days prior due to his "unpredictable" behavior and left a suicide note for his fiancée, instructing her to inform his parents that he was "dead" and "would never come back."

At trial, Bradley Brunon, who was once Khankhanian's attorney, contended that his client's autism impeded his ability to comprehend the danger his actions posed to himself and others.

In the trial, it was evident that his reckless driving was hindered by his psychological conditions, which prevented him from anticipating the potential outcomes. Brunon shared this information with Planet Chronicle Digital.

Instead of being charged with murder, Khankhanian should have been accused of vehicular manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Brunon stated that although it was unintentional, and he had no criminal history, the time he spent in custody was a just punishment.

The couple claims that Khankhanian has been exploiting his autism diagnosis to manipulate the system for his release. Khankhanian was previously diagnosed with autism, Tourette's syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In court, Michel claimed that Khankhanian was catatonic and unable to comprehend the proceedings, but in prison recordings with his girlfriend, the Shanes asserted that he was completely normal while discussing the case.

Ellen stated that the individual is skilled in deception and can present himself in a way to achieve the desired outcome.

In June 2012, just before being sentenced, Khankhanian expressed deep regret to the Shane family, apologizing for the anguish and sorrow he had inflicted upon them.

The Shanes say they do not believe it was sincere.

The Shanes want Khankhanian to be imprisoned for more than his 15-year sentence, but even if Newsom overturns the ruling, Khankhanian could reapply for release annually until he is eventually freed. This possibility means the Shanes will have to continuously battle against his release every year until he is finally set free, re-experiencing the tragedy every Christmas.

""It's unbearable because it means we have to relive the death of a 13-year-old and argue why the killer should be allowed out, even though we see his friends are now 27 and 28 years old," Michel said."

"And honestly, Ellen is more forgiving than I am. I couldn't care less if he should be let out of jail, but if he is, he shouldn't be released as a 40-year-old with his whole young life ahead of him. Wait until he's 60 or 55 so that most of his youth is gone."

Currently, the couple is attempting to raise awareness and encourage others to write to Governor Newsom in hopes of receiving a parole reversal. Although they have received support from state Sens. Ben Allen and Henry Stern, they have yet to receive a response from the governor.

On Oct. 22, Khankhanian was proposed a grant of suitability after a parole suitability hearing. However, Newsom's office states that the decision is subject to a review by the board's legal office.

The governor's office confirms that if the board's decision on the parole hearing becomes final within 120 days, it will be subject to review by the governor.

"The Board of Parole Hearings has not sent Khankhanian's case to the Governor's Office for review. If it does, it will be examined thoroughly."

In his 2023 decision to reverse Khankhanian's parole, Newsom argued that the evidence indicated that Khankhanian posed an unreasonable threat to society if released from prison. Despite making improvements in prison through self-help programming, college courses, and working as a teacher's aide, Khankhanian's efforts were not enough to mitigate the danger he posed to society.

Over the past few years, Khankhanian had shown inconsistent adherence to treatment at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, Kings County.

It is claimed that he was not taking his medication during the occurrence and, as a result, cannot be relied upon to adhere to the medication if released.

Although still grieving, the Shanes have tried to turn their loss into something positive.

Michel, who was the executive producer for films such as "Catch Me If You Can" and "I, Robot," has become a road safety advocate and created a documentary to highlight the dangers of the 21-mile stretch of the PCH, which lacks sidewalks and substantial embankment, and is developing a mobile app game to educate young people about driving.

According to the California Department of Transportation, there were 537 crashes resulting in 779 injuries and 23 fatalities from 2018 through 2023. Additionally, in 2023, four Pepperdine University students were fatally struck on the PCH while walking to an event, and their deaths are featured in a documentary.

The couple established the Emily Shane Foundation, a nonprofit organization that offers personalized academic support and mentoring to middle school students with learning difficulties, in memory of Emily.

Ellen mentioned that Emily also faced mild learning difficulties, and the initiative is a tribute to her memory. The nonprofit has assisted over 1,100 students in 14 Los Angeles schools, and the couple continues to seek donations to support the program.

"Ellen remarked that the worst tragedy she experienced has significantly altered the course of her life and has now become her "life's passion.""

"Seeing children gain confidence and motivation, recognize that they can achieve their goals and dreams is incredibly rewarding and significant. This is a testament to Emily's impact. It's fascinating how life unfolds."