'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Freed From Prison Following Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction

Yahoo

24-05-2025

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is now free from prison following her involuntary manslaughter conviction related to the 2021 death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The film's star, Alec Baldwin, was holding the loaded firearm when it went off, fatally wounding Hutchins and hospitalizing director Joel Souza. However, his trial was dismissed with prejudice on the third day of witness testimony, meaning he will no longer face jail time for his role in her death.
On Friday, May 23, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Corrections Department told NBC News that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had been released that morning. The film armorer was released in Arizona near the border of Nevada and California.
The spokesperson, Brittany Roembach, informed the public that she will be under the supervision of both probation and parole authorities for the following year. She is also facing 18 months of probation for a separate case, in which she was accused of unlawfully carrying a firearm into a licensed liquor establishment.
According to the state's sentencing commission, women in New Mexico state prisons often serve less than 60% of their sentences on average. However, Gutierrez-Reed, who was sentenced to the state maximum penalty of 18 months after she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, was required to serve at least 85% of her sentence at the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants, New Mexico.
The length of Gutierrez-Reed's sentence was due to the fact that she was convicted of a 'serious violent offense.' Although involuntary manslaughter is not considered a serious violent offense in all circumstances, it was decided that it was warranted here.
During the trial, the armorer was accused of using other drugs at or around the time that the crew was filming. While she was behind bars, the corrections spokesperson revealed that she had received 60 days credit for completing two phases of a residential addiction program. She also received four days' credit each month for good behavior and 40 days of pre-sentence credit.
Although she pleaded not guilty and tried to get her case dismissed, lead prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey argued that she 'was negligent, she was careless, [and] she was thoughtless' on set, which ultimately led to the death of Halyna Hutchins.
In March 2024, family attorneys Gloria Allred and John Carpenter released a brief statement on behalf of Halyna Hutchins' mother, father, and sister following Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's guilty verdict.
"Halyna's parents and her sister have always wanted everyone who is responsible for Halyna's death to be held accountable," the statement began. "Today was the first trial and conviction in the criminal justice process. We are satisfied that the jury, based on the evidence, found Hannah Gutierrez-Reed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for her part in the taking of Halyna's life."
They went on to say, "We look forward to the justice system continuing to make sure that everyone else who is responsible for Halyna's death is required to face the legal consequences for their actions."
In Wednesday's closing arguments, prosecutor Kari Morrissey said, "The astonishing lack of diligence with regard to gun safety is without question a significant cause of the death of Halyna Hutchins," per ABC News.
"This is not a case where Hannah Gutierrez made one mistake, and that one mistake was accidental - putting a live round into that gun," she continued. "This case is about constant, never-ending, safety failures that resulted in the death of a human being and nearly killed another."
The film 'Rust' had a limited theatrical release after it opened on May 2, 2025, and was acquired by Falling Forward Films. According to Box Office Mojo, the film only brought in $25,000 at the domestic box office and less than $2,000 at the global box office.
In a strange twist, the film's plot also involves an accidental shooting: an orphaned boy must go on the run with his estranged grandfather after he is sentenced to death for the accidental shooting of a local rancher.