Former Teen Killer Seeks Reduced Sentence in Dartmouth Professors’ Murder

Robert Tulloch, now 43, was sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty to the 2001 stabbing deaths of Dartmouth professors Half Zantop (62) and Susanne Zantop (55). The hearing to reconsider his sentence— the last of five similar cases in New Hampshire—began in Grafton County Superior Court. Tulloch’s attorneys, Richard Guerriero and Oliver Bloom, argue that a term of 30 to 40 years is appropriate, citing his lack of major infractions since 2012 and no minor infractions since 2017. They also point to therapy records indicating remorse and personal growth.

UsNews and World ReportMan who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

In 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court held that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional, and later applied the decision retroactively. The ruling opened resentencing opportunities for hundreds of juvenile lifers, including five men in New Hampshire. A 2024 study in the *Journal of Criminal Justice* found that more than 75 % of those resentenced received terms under 40 years. The Supreme Court rulings addressed only mandatory sentences; discretionary life terms for minors remain legal in the United States, though 28 states and the District of Columbia have banned the practice.

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentenceUsNews and World Report

New Hampshire has not disclosed the sentence it will seek for Tulloch. Superior Court Judge Lawrence MacLeod, who ruled in July that the state constitution prohibits such sentences as “cruel or unusual” punishment, previously declined a state-Supreme-Court review. The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth notes that five states still allow discretionary life sentences for juveniles, but none currently have inmates serving them.

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentenceUsNews and World Report

State lawmakers have repeatedly rejected proposals to eliminate juvenile life-without-parole sentences, arguing that existing statutes already provide sufficient discretion. Critics of reform contend that Tulloch’s crime—premeditated murder of two educators—warrants the original harsh penalty, and they warn that reduced sentences could undermine deterrence.

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

• “The vast majority of his write-ups are for possessing too many books,” — Richard Guerriero, Attorney

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

• “I think it’s unimaginably horrible,” — James Parker, parolee

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

• “significant remorse” — Tulloch’s therapy record

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

• “warped youthful thinking,” — Tulloch’s therapy record

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

• “cruel or unusual” punishment. — Judge Lawrence MacLeod

Man who killed Dartmouth professors at 17 seeks reduced prison sentence

These statements encapsulate the arguments shaping Tulloch’s bid for a shorter term.

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