Out in 2 years, 10 months

Was justice served? In one sense, it truly was. Although former sheriff Kyle Overmyer is being released this week from prison after serving less than three years of his four-year sentence, he will never again hold sway over people's lives the way he did when he was sheriff.Overmyer, indicted on 43 criminal counts in August 2016, accepted a plea deal in December 2016. He stole money, drugs in evidence and falsified records while he was sheriff, and, most importantly, he harmed families that were victims of crimes. He was incompetent as an officer, he was incompetent as an investigator and as an administrator.This newspaper — more than any other media outlet — shined a light on that incompetence and exposed Overmyer as a person who should not have been appointed sheriff in 2008 after the sudden death of Sheriff David Gangwer. It was a bad choice, but, unfortunately, it took eight years and hundreds of news stories about numerous botched investigations, short-circuiting justice.A dozen or more families were harmed, some devastatingly so, because of the failure to professionally respond to emergencies and follow up with credible investigations. The Limberios, the Burdines, the Bogle family, the family of Brian Jones, Greg Armbruster — and other families — fought back, for some at an extraordinary price both financially and emotionally. If it weren't for them Overmyer might still be sheriff, and his best friend, Sean O'Connell, who also was sentenced to prison for wrongdoing, might still be the lead detective in the county, or worse.There's no prison sentence long enough to bring Mike Limberios or Jess Burdine — two men who fought against Overmyer and O'Connell — back from the dead. Each man lost a son in violent criminal acts. Overmyer and O'Connell denied each of them a fair and unbiased investigation; they denied both men the justice they sought, or the satisfaction of acknowledging the truth about how their sons died. There's no prison sentence long enough that would change that sad reality.Was justice served by a prison sentence of 2 years and 10 months? Probably not. But Overmyer's record — as a convicted felon — means he'll never again serve as a police officer, and he'll never be appointed or elected sheriff. He will never again be able to wreak havoc on families the way he did when he wore the tin star.