A 38-year old convicted murderer was approved for parole, according to the state parole board.

William James Thomas is scheduled to be released on March 20, according to Patsy Joyner, a representative of the parole board.

"He was on a ... contract for three years," Joyner said. "He did everything he was supposed to."

The Mutual Agreement Program contract is a "combination of an educational program, job training program and the like," Joyner said. "There is a long list of things they have to do to be successful."

"He has complied with all of the stipulations of the program. when you do that, you get a definite release date."

Joyner said agency could not comment on the specifics of the details of his release or his housing after he is released.

Thomas was convicted April 15, 1996 for the 1994 slaying of James Edward "Toby" Blair and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

He is currently in Central Prison in Raleigh.

Officials say Thomas and Blair were playing video games in Blair's residence on Jan. 5, 1994 when the two got into an argument.

Thomas then shot and killed Blair.

Thomas, along with Howard Lee Hall and Gentry McCallum drove Blair's body to Cumberland County and dumped the body behind a trailer park.

Hall, 32, was convicted of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and given a ten-year prison sentence and paroled in 1998.

Hall is now incarcerated for a series of breaking and enterings.

McCallum, 41, whose car was used to transport Blair's body, had minor charges stemming from the murder and was put on probation.

Records show Thomas was also convicted of three counts of larceny, one count of larceny after a breaking and entering and four counts of breaking and entering and two counts of attempted breaking and entering.

The state eliminated paroling convicted criminals but must honor old sentencing guidelines for anyone who was convicted of committed a crime before Oct. 1, 1994.