Satanic Cult Murders: Elmhurst Family Fights Ripper Crew Killer's Parole

ELMHURST, IL — A man who was convicted in the brutal 1982 murder of an Elmhurst woman is scheduled to be released from prison at the end of September. Thomas Kokoraleis, 57, is slated to be released from prison Sept. 29 after serving half of his 70-year prison sentence for the murder of Lorry Ann Borowski, police said.

Borowski was 21 when she was abducted on May 15, 1982 outside of the real estate office in Elmhurst where she worked. Her remains were found five months later in a cemetery in Clarendon Hills. She was raped and stabbed more than 80 times.

Kokoraleis was a member of the Ripper Crew, a group believed to have murdered 18 women during the 1980s. Famed attorney Gloria Allred has joined efforts to stop Kokoraleis' parole, according to NBC Chicago. Multiple victims were tortured and killed by the group, which Allred has described as a satanic cult.

The family and Allred held a press conference Wednesday at Borowski's grave site. "I thought (Kokoraleis) would die in prison, but now I know that he is scheduled to be released," her mother, Lorraine Borowski, told ABC 7. Her brother, Mark Borowski, said he fears for others if he is set free. "I can't bring my sister back, but I am concerned about the safety of all other women who may be at risk if Lorry's murderer is released," he told reporters.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, Kokoraleis is at Illinois River Correctional Facility in Canton and was admitted there on Sept. 13, 1984. According to police, under Illinois sentencing laws at the time of the murder, Kokoraleis is only required to serve half of the sentence, or 35 years.

"Unfortunately, there are no petitions which can change this mandatory release," the Elmhurst Police Department said in a statement. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Elmhurst Police Chief Michael Ruth notified the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in June of the department's strong objection to the release of Kokoraleis, the department said. Ruth believes that Kokoraleis presents a danger to the community if he is allowed to roam free.

To stop Kokoraleis from reaching parole, it must be determined that he is a sexually violent person. A hearing would have to be to held to determine that. The Elmhurst Police Department said its officials have met with the DuPage County State's Attorney’s Office and are exploring all legal options possible to keep Kokoraleis in custody.

The other members of the Ripper Crew were Robin Gecht, Edward Spreitzer and Andrew Kokoraleis, Thomas' older brother. Andrew Kokoraleis was executed by lethal injection in 1999, but Spreitzer and Gecht remain in prison. According to the IDOC, Gecht, now 63, was sentenced to 120 years and has a projected parole date of 2042. Spreitzer was initially sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life in prison in 2003. He is ineligible for parole.

Photo via Illinois Department of Corrections