New Mexico corrections officials on Friday paroled Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons handler convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the western Rust. The 27-year-old left the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Grants on 23 May and was ordered to reside in Bullhead City, Arizona under interstate supervision.
A parole certificate made public by the state shows Gutierrez-Reed must wear an electronic monitor, keep a nightly curfew, undergo mental-health evaluations and obtain work or schooling within 45 days. She is prohibited from possessing firearms and remains under dual probation-parole oversight until May 2026.
A Santa Fe jury found her guilty in March 2024 after concluding she failed to detect a live .45-calibre round that actor-producer Alec Baldwin fired during rehearsal. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer imposed the maximum 18-month term, noting what prosecutors called a lack of remorse. At sentencing Gutierrez-Reed told the court she was “young and naïve… that doesn’t make me a monster.”
Baldwin’s own manslaughter case ended in July 2024 when a judge dismissed charges with prejudice following defense claims that evidence had been withheld. Rust completed filming in Montana last year and opened in U.S. theaters this month with a dedication to Hutchins, even as the cinematographer’s family pursues civil claims against Baldwin and other producers.
Set-safety advocates say the parole decision leaves unanswered questions about on-set firearms. A CBS News report quoted industry experts who called Hutchins’ death “entirely preventable,” urging wider adoption of digital replicas and stricter enforcement of existing safety rules. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees repeated its 2021 call for mandatory training after the incident spotlighted gaps in crew protections.
