Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armourer convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal 2021 Rust shooting, was released from prison on Friday, May 23, after serving her full 18-month sentence, according to people.com. The release marks a significant development in the tragic on-set incident that claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Gutierrez-Reed, 27, was found guilty in March 2024 for her role in the shooting, which occurred when a prop gun held by actor Alec Baldwin discharged a live round during a rehearsal, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. She had denied the involuntary manslaughter charges, with her defense arguing that the investigation was flawed and incomplete.
Baldwin’s case was dismissed in July 2024.
A spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Corrections confirmed Gutierrez-Reed’s release to an area in Arizona near the Nevada and California borders. She will remain under dual supervision by probation and parole authorities for a year, through May 23, 2026. Conditions of her release include electronic monitoring, a curfew and securing employment or enrolling in school.
Gutierrez-Reed had also faced a separate felony charge for bringing a firearm into a New Mexico bar in 2021, which resulted in 18 months of probation. Her release from the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility closes a chapter in the legal fallout from the Rust tragedy, though the impact of the incident continues to resonate within the film industry.
•Featured image: Hannah Gutierrez-Reed/Eddie Moore/Pool/AFP/Getty
