Final Decision On Chowchilla Bus Kidnapper's Parole Could Take Six Months

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A central California case that captured headlines nearly 40 years ago has been thrust back into the spotlight as initial parole has been granted for one of the Chowchilla bus kidnappers.

In 1976, James Schoenfeld and two other men were sentenced to life in prison for hijacking a school bus and kidnapping 26 children and their bus driver. They tried to bury them in a van at a Livermore quarry.

After 19 attempts, the 63-year-old is a step closer to freedom. The ruling will be subject to an internal review before it goes to Gov. Jerry Brown's office in a process that could take another four to six months.

"I have to turn a nightlight on every day when I lay down to go to bed," said Jennifer Hodd.

The emotional scars still run deep for Hood. She was just 9 years old when masked men armed with machine guns hijacked her school bus and driver Ed Ray.

"I didn't know if they were going to shoot us, I didn't know if they were going to kill us," she said.

James Schoenfeld, his younger brother Richard and their friend Frederick Woods herded the group into vans they buried in a Livermore quarry.

"The roof started to cave in and some of the older kids decided we were going to die trying to get out," Hood said.

After 16 hours, the children escaped.

Richard Schoenfeld was released in 2012, and his brother is one step closer to the same as the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says James Scheonfeld could be next.

After an internal review, it goes to Gov. Brown, who has a number of options including allowing it to stand by not taking action, amending the decision to change the parole date or referring the ruling back to the board of parole hearings for review.

Woods was denied parole for the 13th time in 2012, and will be eligible again later this year.