Kidnaper Who Used ‘Grave’ Accepted at Medical School

ATLANTA — The man convicted of abducting Barbara Jane Mackle and placing her in a “living grave” for 3 1/2 days in 1968 has been accepted at a medical school in Mexico, parole officials say.

Gary Steven Krist, 40, was paroled from a Georgia prison in 1979 after serving 10 years and banished to Alaska. He wrote to the state parole board that he has been accepted at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara in Mexico.

“He said: ‘I did it. I finally did it. There are still some people who have faith in me,’ ” said parole board member Tommy Morris.

Mackle, daughter of a wealthy Miami developer, was kept in a ventilated underground box in Gwinnett County for 3 1/2 days. She was rescued based on directions Krist left in exchange for a $500,000 ransom. Krist was later arrested as he tried to flee from Florida to Texas.