Only God knows why this was allowed to happen . '' 1998 : Thomas Hagan walks out of Lincoln Correctional Center at 11 a.m. Hagan set free a day earlier than expected ; he 's the only confessed killer of Malcolm X who , 69 , has been in a work - release program the past two years . Hagan told parole board he killed Malcolm X over his split with Nation of Islam .
1998 : Thomas Hagan walks out of Lincoln Correctional Center at 11 a.m. Hagan set free a day earlier than expected ; he 's the only confessed killer of Malcolm X who , 69 , has been in a work - release program the past two years . Hagan told parole board he killed Malcolm X over his split with Nation of Islam .