Judge considering exonerating TN man found guilty in 1998 double homicide

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Putnam County Judge said he will take the next three to four months to review the case of a man serving two life sentences for a double homicide.

In 1999, Greg Lance was convicted of killing Putnam County couple Victor and Alla Kolesnikow and burning their home to destroy the evidence.

Since then, Lance has maintained his innocence and the Tennessee Innocence Project has taken up his case.

On Tuesday, July 2, the Innocence Project presented their case to Judge Don Ash in which they claimed someone else by the name of Sam Horn killed the couple, and DNA evidence suggests Lance didn’t handle the murder weapon.

While Sam Horn is dead, his son, Mitchell Horn, told the court he heard his father talk about murdering the couple two times.

“As I was growing up, my father had told me on several occasions that, ‘If you ever kill anyone, make sure that you’re the only person that leaves the scene alive,’ and he told me that several times and stated that was his number one rule, and he said, ‘Son, I believe I screwed the pooch this time,'” Mitchell said.

A man who said Sam was like family to him also testified.

Derrick Helms said he also heard the elder Horn talk about getting away with murder.

“He pretty much told me he was caught covering it up. You know what I’m saying? He pretty much told me how to do it because of what I was thinking about doing,” Helms recalled.

An attorney for the state argued that Horn’s name came up during the original trial and his role in the case could’ve been discussed then. The attorney also said Helm’s and Horn’s testimony was in part based on “hearsay.”

Two forensic scientists who looked into the evidence in the case also testified Tuesday.

One expert told the judge it was statistically more likely than not that Lance didn’t handle the murder weapon.

The judge asked for a transcript from Tuesday’s hearing within the next 60 days and said he would take another 30 or 45 days to decide. He said he will write his opinion knowing lawyers on both sides will likely appeal it.

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