Key Individuals
The documentary To Forgive a Killer focuses on a few key individuals listed below.
Jerry Hines
He was 48 and a 22-year veteran of the Virginia State Police when he was killed in 1989. The news printed this photo with a caption on February 21: Virginia State Police trooper Jerry L Hines (shown in this 1986 file photo) was shot to death during a traffic stop on Interstate 81 near Lexington, VA.
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Hines' Family
Jerry’s family included his wife Carol, daughter Jennifer and sons Jonathan and Justin. The year of Jerry Hines’ death, his kids were in their teens.​
Maria Hines
Jerry had a sister, Maria Hines. Maria was a former nun and a psychotherapist. She admired Sister Helen Prejean and her work with death row inmates. Maria did not want to add another death to the tragedy, and spoke out against the death penalty.
Dennis Eaton
Dennis Eaton was a simple, poor orchard worker who did odd jobs, and who got caught up in a tragic series of events. He had tried to kill himself, but failed. He did not admit to killing Trooper Hines and appealed his conviction, but lost his appeal. Dennis had a spiritual counselor and had a religious conversion while in prison.
Marilyn Kerstine
Marilyn Kerstine helped to found a prison ministry in Virginia, where she met Dennis Eaton. Marilyn became close to Dennis Eaton as a mother figure to him and as his spiritual counselor. His family had not visited him after his arrest, and his mother died during his prison sentence. Marilyn was traumatized by Dennis’ execution and left the ministry.