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Vanessa Yaklich clutched a stack of photos of her murdered father and held back tears as she learned her stepmother, Donna Yak lich, who committed a crime that ripped apart their family 20 years ago, would move a step closer to freedom.

After serving 18 years of a 40-year prison sentence for hiring two men to kill her husband, Donna Yaklich on Thursday was approved by the Arapahoe Community Corrections Board for admission to a halfway house.

“Eighteen years is not long enough for killing my dad,” Vanessa Yaklich said.

Board members did not publicly give reasons why they voted as they did, but chairman Thomas Vockrodt said the recent investigation into the death of Dennis Yaklich’s first wife, Barbara Yak lich, played no part in their decision.

Donna Yaklich has maintained that her husband, a Pueblo police officer, was abusive, and she claims she acted in self-defense. Vockrodt said Yaklich would better serve the citizens of Colorado by living in community corrections.

“She will get counseling in terms of employment and life skills to get a job and pay taxes,” said Vockrodt, adding that the costs of incarcerating Yaklich in prison versus a halfway house also probably played a role in her release.