A former Death Row resident now walks his road of redemption among the general population of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center with a canine companion by his side.

Sentenced to death for murder, four attempted murders and kidnapping in 1995, the State of California placed Loi Tan Vo, 52, in SQ’s condemned housing unit where he remained for 29 years.

In 2023, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney David Angel reviewed the case, and after speaking with the victims and the victim’s family, he determined that Vo met all the criteria for resentencing.

“It was a struggle for us to understand all the factors in the case but once we did, it was an easy decision to make,” Angel said.

After resentencing Vo to 25-to-life, the state sent him to North Kern Reception Center, reclassified him as a lower security risk, and then sent him back to SQRC to live among the prison’s general population.

“I can’t pay my debt to society from inside a cell 23 hours a day.” Vo said. “Now I can spend my time healing the pain I’ve caused to so many.”

In January 2024, after decades of being escorted throughout the prison in handcuffs and leg irons, Vo took his first unshackled steps out into his new community.

Learning to navigate his new surroundings, Vo was brought to tears by one encounter with a puppy named Granger. That encounter changed the trajectory of his life.

“It shook me,” Vo said. “It was the first time I got to pet a dog in more than 30 years.”

The impact of that experience with his new four-legged friend motivated him, and in the summer of 2025, he became a member of the Canine Companions program.

According to SQ resident dog handler Jared Hansen, the healing a dog can offer is unparalleled. He said the effort Vo puts into training service dogs is proof of his willingness to give back to the community.

“Hopefully this will give his victim’s family some solace in knowing his steadfast dedication to making amends,” Hansen said.

Vo said humans and dogs are both social creatures, and it’s only natural that they share the desire of wanting to be of service and care for each other.

Incarcerated since age 18, Vo lived his adult life in the shadow of society’s condemnation, with only glimpses of hope for his future.

Now his future is much brighter and his life has purpose. Vo said that the hope he sees every day amongst his new proactive community is contagious. 

Along with spending time training man’s best friend, he attends college classes, self-help groups, and is a member of the Veterans Healing Veterans Program.

“We are all on this rehabilitation journey together,” Vo said. “You can really feel the vibe of everyone trying to do better and be the best version of themselves.”

When working in the facility’s “Healing Garden,” Vo says he feels empathy and compassion for his victims. He understands that the healing process is a lifetime commitment to making living amends through community service.

Vo now wakes each morning to the sound of keys unlocking his cell, a reminder of how his life has changed since he left Death Row. The difference now is his opportunity to step outside the cell to pursue his rehabilitation alongside a tail-wagging companion that is eager for another day of training for the future, together.

Events in prison, like alarms, drug overdoses, and violence, also happen outside the walls, Vo said, and ultimately, experiencing these things in prison prepares him for life as a civilian.

Given 34 years credit at his resentencing for time served, Vo is now eligible for release, pending the result of a parole board hearing.

Over the years, Vo’s lived experience taught him to keep his side of the street clean. “The key to me going home is to stay in my own lane and honor my victims by continuing to be a positive role model in my community.”