MADISON, Wis. - The family of two women who died at the hands of a former Dane County deputy say it is not justice that Andrew Steele will be released from an institution.

A Dane County judge ruled Friday that Steele, who was sent to Mendota Mental Health after being found not responsible for the deaths of his wife and sister-in-law, may be released from the facility saying that the state failed to prove that he could harm himself or others.

"We always knew there was a possibility of him being released and we're truly disappointed in the fact that he will be released," Rachelle Putnam, the sister-in-law of the victims, told News 3 in an interview Friday afternoon. "I feel that there is really something wrong with a system that allows a murderer to be released less than one year after he was sentenced."

A 31-page decision from Judge Nicholas McNamara released Friday said he struggled with the decision and has no doubt Steele "has the mind of a killer." He said based on evidence from doctors, there was "not clear and convincing evidence that the defendant would pose a risk of significant bodily harm to himself or others if released."

"He is today a man with a dangerous mind trapped in a powerless, paralytic body ravaged by an irreversible and unrelenting disease," McNamara wrote.

Steele, who is a former Dane County sheriff's deputy, was tried in the deaths of his wife, Ashley Steele, and sister-in-law, Kacee Tollefsbol. His attorney argued that a neurological disorder -- Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS -- was the foundation of his defense. A jury found him not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in the killings.

After the trial Steele was committed to the Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Steele's attorney, Jessa Nicholson, told News 3 Steele's health is declining, but he's stable.

"The result today is not cause for celebration by those close to the defense; make no mistake about that. Everyone involved in this case has felt the weight of the way these terrible human events terminal illness, homicide, tearful trial testimony throughout the proceedings," Nicholson wrote. "We are, however, gratified that the court followed the law, and look forward to assisting Andy in this time of transition."

But Brad Putnam, the brother of the two victims, says his family is concerned about the freedom Steele may be allowed while on release. Brad and Rachelle are now the guardians of Steele's two children.

"Just knowing that he has the possibility to give them a call when he wants and say whatever he wants, even if it's through an iPad or whatever it scares us," said Brad Putnam. "Rachelle and I are the ones that at night are putting them to bed, and given the fact that my two sisters trusted him and he betrayed them by killing them it really does scare us."

Putnam says his family will fight for conditions to be put on Steele's contact with the family and his children.

"He can interject himself into our lives whenever he sees fit if there are no conditions put on it," said Rachelle Putnam. "It's upsetting any time we have to think about him or talk to him or speak with the people who are overseeing him. It's a disruption to our day and it rips open a wound we're still trying to heal from."

In his decision Friday, Judge McNamara elaborated on statements he made in court in February, essentially saying he felt the verdict of Steele's non-responsibility for the crimes could have been in error. He elaborated on that in his written decision, saying that he allowed the trial verdict to stand because evidence supported the conclusion. But he says since the verdict, new evidence has come to light of Steele's mental capacity, including that he has shown no symptoms of the disorder trial experts claimed he was suffering from in the months following the murders despite no mental health treatment.

"All of this undisputed evidence shows us that he does not have a major neurocognitive disorder that caused him to commit these murders," McNamara wrote.

For that reason, the Putnams say they're even more frustrated with the prior verdict.

"He got away with murdering my two sisters using his ALS as an excuse and the jury bought it," said Brad Putnam.

McNamara has scheduled a May hearing to discuss conditions of his release, also expressing concern about the emotional well-being of Steele's children and his possible access to money. The judge claimed he'd come up with "one possible scenario" where Steele may still pose a danger to the community, which was that he could have access to money to hire someone to harm others.

"Does he have the means and the ability to contract with another killer to bring about harm he is physically incapable of completing himself?" McNamara asked. "This sounds improbable and bizarre. But improbable and bizarre is exactly the reality of this horrible case."

The judge said he would consider placing financial restrictions on Steele, both for that reason and to preserve resources for his children.