By Lydia Warren Richard Linklater, who directed the film 'Bernie' about a convicted murderer played by Jack Black, has opened up about living with the killer at the heart of the movie. Bernie Tiede, who served 17 years for shooting his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent and stashing her body in a freezer, was ordered to live with Linklater when he was released early in May. For the past two months, 55-year-old Tiede, who worked as a mortician in Carthage, Texas before his arrest, has been living in Linklater's garage at his Austin home while working as a paralegal. 'I picked him up getting released, and he started work the next week,' Linklater told Page Six. 'He says, "It's a miracle," but I was like, "Yeah, but life wasn't always the best to you".'
@highlight
Bernie Tiede, 55, was ordered to live in Linklater's garage in Austin, Texas when he was released early from prison in May
@highlight
He has a job as a paralegal, rides a bike and calls his release a 'miracle'
@highlight
Tiede was found guilty of killing his 81-year-old companion Marjorie Nugent in 1996 and the story became the subject of 2012 film 'Bernie'
@highlight
After the film's release, a local attorney delved into the case and learned that Tiede had been sexually abused as a child
@highlight
The revelations led to the prosecutor to view the case differently and Tiede was released in May after 17 years behind bars
@placeholder also has a bicycle, which was a gift from his new neighbors, but is keeping a low profile.