Shivangi Sinha
In October 1999, Paul Harris was at a local bar in Billings, Montana, when he got into a dispute with Ezdeth Antinua Highley. Prior to this, the latter had argued with the bartender, and when Paul played a harmless prank on her, it enraged her to the level that she killed him. Though Ezdeth fled the scene immediately, she was later arrested and convicted of the crime. Over the years, she has claimed to be rehabilitated and believes she deserves freedom. In Netflix’s episode of ‘I Am a Killer’ titled ‘If Things Were Different,’ she reflects on her life, expressing regret for her actions that devastated a family.
Ezdeth Highley Struggled With Her Identity and Circumstances While Growing Up
Ezdeth Antinua Highley was born in 1970 and raised in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Her early years were comfortable and safe with a loving mother, grandparents and siblings. However, around the age of 7 or 8, she began drinking alcohol, as it was easily accessible due to her parents’ own struggles with dependency. At the same time, Ezdeth was grappling with her gender identity, which left her feeling frustrated and angry. Drinking became her way of coping with these overwhelming emotions. She claimed that she also faced bullying from her peers, which added to her sense of isolation and hopelessness.
In 1985, when Ezdeth was about 15 years old, she moved with her mother, Carol Highley-Gwynn, to Missoula, Montana, as the latter had remarried. The area was rife with street gangs, and Ezdeth soon became involved with them and turned to narcotics as well. Between the ages of 15 and 29, she was incarcerated multiple times for offenses related to substance abuse, weapons possession, and parole violations. In 1999, she was out on parole, but one of the conditions was that she was prohibited from going to public bars. Despite this, her struggles with drug and alcohol dependency had only worsened.
Ezdeth Highley Was Out on Parole When She Killed Paul Harris
Ezdeth Highley’s anger issues had intensified, leading to several altercations at home. On October 31, 1999, she went to a bar for a few drinks, where a bartender accused her of stealing money. Ezdeth defended herself and admitted that the accusation made her anger flare up. Although the bartender later apologized, explaining that the missing money had been accounted for, she couldn’t let the issue go and continued arguing. When she arrived at the bar, she had parked her bike inside, and Paul Harris had offered to watch over it. After the argument with the bartender, Ezdeth turned to Paul and demanded he hand over the keys.
When Paul told Ezdeth he didn’t have the keys and she couldn’t see her bike anywhere, she became furious. She left the bar and waited outside. When the 33-year-old approached her, Ezdeth stabbed him three times before fleeing the scene in a panic. On November 1, police located and arrested her. In May 2000, she pled guilty to deliberate homicide and was sentenced to 60 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 15 years. As part of her sentence, she was required to complete rehabilitation courses to demonstrate that she was working on her personal growth.
Ezdeth Highley is Incarcerated at a Montana Prison Today
Ezdeth Highley claims that her time in prison has been a period of deep reflection, and she has lived with the regret of the murder ever since. She shared that the events of that night haunted her and forced her to look inward. In 2018, she decided to transition and changed her name to Ezdeth. However, when Paul’s family learned of her decision, they believed the name sounded like “easy death,” interpreting it as a mockery of their pain. They continue to use her deadname, Michael Highley, and refer to her with he/him pronouns. Paul’s twin daughters, who were placed under state care after his death, have also spoken at Ezdeth’s parole hearings, urging that she remain incarcerated.
However, Paul’s mother has made a statement in support of her early release. Ezdeth acknowledges the feelings of Paul’s family and has clarified that her name change has nothing to do with them. She explained that her new name is an expression of her identity, inspired by a fantasy character from her youth that gives her a sense of empowerment. She hopes that the family will one day recognize the change she sees in herself. She has also expressed deep gratitude toward Paul’s mother. Now 54 years old, Ezdeth remains incarcerated at Montana State Prison, where she continues to advocate for her release and hopes to gain her freedom soon.
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