Editor's note: West Seattle Herald reporter Steve Shay has been following the Amanda Knox trial in Italy for years, culminating in big news for the West Seattle-based Knox family. Updates on her story and travel back to the United States can be found at www.westseattleherald.com.

Nearly 11 hours following Amanda Knox's impassioned plea for freedom, which she gave in front of the courtroom, the same courtroom that convicted her of murdering Meredith Kercher nearly two years ago, she was freed. She could now return to her Arbor Heights home, or anywhere else she night choose. Her then boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian, was also freed from prison.

During this appeal trial, the six jurors, the presiding judge and his assistant agreed with the "lone wolf theory", that career criminal and drifter, Rudy Guded, was the lone killer of Ms. Kercher.

The West Seattle Herald joined supporters and other media gathering at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel beginning11:00 p.m. Oct. 2 and remaining through the verdict, which arrived at 12:45 p.m. Seattle time. Supporters rented the Presidential Suite and watched the trial on TV, remaining cautiously optimistic that Knox and Sollecito would be freed.

There was much tension in the air at the suite as the TV images inside and outside the Perugia courtroom building looked very similar to those many witnessed Dec. 4, 2009, the evening Knox was convicted of murder and faced 26 years in prison.

That outcome was a nightmare for Knox and her family. This outcome, however, was a dream come true for Knox's family and supporters.

Please follow www.westseattleherald.com for updates and details of the trial outcome.