‘Rust’ Armorer Released From Prison After Manslaughter Conviction

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who worked as the armorer on Rust and was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, has been released from prison.

Gutierrez-Reed, 27, was released on Friday, May 23, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Corrections Department confirmed to NBC News. She was released in Arizona to a region near the Nevada and California borders with dual supervision under probation and parole authorities.

According to the police rep, Gutierrez-Reed will be on parole for one year.

Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in April 2024 after the accidental shooting death of 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

‘Rust’ Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Appeals Conviction

“My heart aches for the Hutchins family and friends. … Helena has been and always will be an inspiration to me. I understand she was taken too soon and I pray that you all find peace,” she said during her sentencing. “My heart goes out to the film industry for the devastating pain that this tragedy caused. …When I took on Rust, I was young and I was naive, but I took my job as seriously as I knew how to do. Despite not having proper time, resources and staffing, when things got tough, I just did my best to handle it.”

As a film armorer, Gutierrez-Reed was responsible for the firearms on the set of Rust. During production in October 2021, a gun held by actor Alec Baldwin was discharged and killed Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

Gutierrez-Reed was charged in January 2023 with one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of tampering with evidence for allegedly handing off a bag of cocaine following her police interview after the shooting. She pleaded not guilty to both charges.

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In the trial, Gutierrez-Reed was found not guilty of evidence tampering but guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Afterward, her attorney said that she planned to appeal her conviction.

A legal team representing Hutchins’ family — she is survived by her husband and young son — reacted in a statement to Us Weekly.

“Halyna’s parents and her sister have always wanted everyone who is responsible for Halyna’s death to be held accountable,” attorneys Gloria Allred and John Carpenter said in a statement to Us at the time. “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.”

The statement concluded: “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.”

Baldwin, 67, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty and fervently maintained his innocence. The charges were dismissed in July 2024.

“The trigger wasn’t pulled. I didn’t pull the trigger. I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them. Never,” Baldwin previously said in an ABC interview in December 2021. “I have no idea [how a bullet got in there]. Someone put a live bullet in a gun. A bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property.”