All charges against Debra Jean Milke were dismissed today - 25 years after she was convicted and sentenced to die for the brutal murder of her four-year-old son . Milke was released from jail in 2013 after 22 years on Arizona 's death row , but still faced the possibility of a retrial and remained free on bail with an electronic monitoring bracelet . On Monday , Maricopa County Superior Court before Judge Rosa Mroz found that there was not enough evidence to take the case against Milke to trial . She ordered the charges dismissed with prejudice - meaning she can not be re-tried . Scroll down for video . Debra Milke , pictured Monday in court , had murder charges against her dismissed - 25 years after she was convicted and sentenced to die . Milke leaned in for a hug with her attorney Lori Voepel ( right ) on Monday after she was finally cleared of all charges in the murder of her son . Milke sobbed and hugged her attorney and supporters as she left the courtroom on Monday - ending a 25-year legal ordeal . Milke was convicted of plotting with two friends to kill her son Christopher , who was led into the desert and shot three times in the back of the head . The judge also ordered probation officers to remove her electronic monitoring bracelet and close out Milke 's case . The hearing took just two minutes , according to KSAZ-TV . Milke , 51 , hugged her lawyer and her supporters and sobbed as she left the courtroom today . Milke 's conviction was based almost entirely on Phoenix police Detective Armando Saldate 's claims that she had confessed to him that she plotted to killed her son Christopher . The confession was never recorded and it was later revealed that Saldate had a history of lying under oath and violating the rights of suspects . In December 1989 , Milke dressed her son in his favorite outfit and sent him off to the mall to see Santa Claus in the care of her roommate , James Styers . Styers later picked up Roger Scott and the two men drove Christopher into the desert and shot him three times in the back of the head . James Styers and Roger Scott are on death row for the horrific murder of Christopher . They have both denied that Milke had anything to do with the killing . Debra Milke ( pictured in a prison mug shot ) denied that she ever confessed and fought for her innocence . Christopher was wearing his favorite outfit when he was murdered . Detective Armando Saldate claimed that Milke confessed to him - but never recorded the confession . His testimony sent her to death row . It was later discredited . Prosecutors argued that Milke no longer wanted Christopher , but hated his father so much that she did n't want to give up custody of the boy . At the time of his arrest , Scott claimed that Milke had discussed splitting the boy 's $ 50,000 life insurance policy with him - but later recanted that statement . Styers and Scott were convicted and sentenced to death for the murder . The refused to testify against Milke and now maintain she had nothing to do with the little boy 's death . Both men are awaiting execution . In 2013 , the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned her conviction and sentence of death , finding that the . Judge Mroz , when she ordered Milke 's release , said allegations of Saldate 's past misconduct 'cast serious doubts on the validity of the Defendant ’ s alleged confession . ' Saldate , who has since retired from the police force , said previously that he would not testify at a retrial of Milke . Prosecutors had tried to force Saldate to testify at the re-trial and set a new trial date for her , but the Arizona Supreme Court rejected the request . Milke has filed a lawsuit against Phoenix , Maricopa County and several officials and investigators involved in her conviction . She says she was the victim of malicious prosecution .
Debra Jean Milke had been free on bail since her conviction was overturned in 2013 . Maricopa County judge dismissed her case with prejudice - meaning charges can not be filed again . Convicted of the 1989 murder of her son Christopher , who was shot four times in the back of the head by two friends . Sentenced to die based largely on the testimony of Detective Armando Saldate , who claimed she confessed to him . Saldate was later discredited .