Parole Board Denies the Early Release of Convicted Child Molester and Three-Striker

Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced that the California Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) denied release to convicted child molester Lar Kitt, age 75. On April 29, 2026, BPH found thatKitt continues to pose a current and unreasonable risk to public safety. Representing the District Attorney’s Office was Deputy District Attorney Gina Nargie.

During 1993 and 1994, Kitt began a romantic relationship with a mother of two children in the Lake Isabella area. On March 26, 1997, Kitt engaged in the heinous sexual assault of one of the children.

Before forcibly sexually assaulting the victim, Kitt placed a stocking over his head and tied his hands behind his back. Once restrained, Kitt placed a knife to the child’s throat, walked him to the master bedroom, and tied the victim’s legs to the headboard of the bed. The victim endured a horrific sexual assault not just by Kitt, but by his mother who witnessed and participated in the sexual abuse.

The following morning, when the victim’s mother was about to subject her son to more sexual abuse, the victim ran out of the house to school to get help. When he made it to school, he told authorities.

On March 17, 1998, a Kern County Jury found Kitt guilty of three counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of lewd and lascivious acts on a child age 14 or 15, and one count of false imprisonment.

The jury also found true the special allegation that Kitt bound the victim during the sexual assault. In a separate proceeding, the trial court found true that Kitt had suffered a prior conviction for a qualifying strike under California’s Three Strikes Law. On May 14, 1998, a Kern County Judge sentenced Kitt to 33 years and 4 months to life.

Kitt is currently 75 years old and has served approximately 29 years in state prison. His minimum eligible parole date isn’t until 2044. Kitt is being considered for early release pursuant to California Elder Parole Laws. Under this law, Kitt had his first parole hearing in April of 2023. On April 29, 2026, the BPH conducted Kitt’s second parole hearing.

At the hearing, Kitt’s commissioners focused on his continued lack of sex offender programming, his criminal history including a prior conviction for murder in 1976 (Los Angeles County case number A441562), his lack of credibility related to his criminal history, and his failure to complete any of the prior board’s recommendations.

The Kern County District Attorney’s Office asked the board to deny parole. The BPH found that Kitt was not suitable for parole because he continued to pose a current unreasonable risk of danger to society. The BPH has the option of denying an inmate parole for a period of 15, 10, 7, 5 or 3 years. Kitt’s commissioners issued a three-year denial.

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented: “This case is a prime example of the risks posed by California’s Elder Parole laws, which allow even the most dangerous offenders the opportunity to seek early release. Our office remains committed to advocating for public safety and will continue to fight to keep Kitt behind bars, despite the laws that work against our community.”