A Mother's Request

This is a story about Lois Bohovesky, The Mother of a 16 year old daughter murdered.

After reading the following story, please write to Officer Pendarvis, Peekskill Parole office, 201 South James street, Peekskill, NY, 10566

or visit the "Petition For Paula" Facebook Page.

http://sign.petitionforpaula.org and sign the petition.

Since the night her daughter disappeared almost 40 years ago, two things have never been far from Lois Bohovesky’s thoughts – the loving memory of beautiful and talented Paula and the tormenting fear that she might one day meet one of the convicted killers in her own Pearl River neighborhood.

When Richard LaBarbera and Robert McCain were convicted and sentenced to 25 year to life, they were tucked safely away from society and Lois tucked away her fears.
But since 2005, when they both became eligible for parole, Lois Bohovesky’s torment has been unending.

Both men had spent an entire October 1980 day drinking in a downtown Pearl River bar. According to police and forensic accounts, they followed Paula Bohovesky when she passed near the bar on her way home after working at the Pearl River Library. McCain struck her on the head, beat her and tried a sexual assault. LaBarbera also tried a sex act and when Paula showed signs of life, LaBarbera stabbed her repeatedly.

They were convicted of murder, but to this day deny killing Paula, at times even denying they were there at all. What they do admit is drinking that day and having long-term problems with alcohol. LaBarbera even warned the parole board that if freed, stress would make him drink again.

And after working to see both men denied their release over and over, it only got worse last July when Richard LaBarbera walked out of prison.

It appeared originally that he would be living in the Peekskill area, but in fact he was told to report to parole authorities in upstate Erie County – Buffalo.

He might be free, but at least he was too far away to pop up in Pearl River. But being free, Lois Bohovesky feared, he could revert to his old ways, maybe even harm another innocent young woman.

That worst fear, fortunately, did not come to pass, but in a matter of mere days LaBarbera was found drunk and so in violation of his parole.
He was held in the Eric County Corrections Facility for about a month. A hearing then landed LaBarbera back in state prison for one year.
On about July 23, LaBarbera will walk free once again.

And like a year ago Lois Bohovesky and her loyal support group called Petition for Paula is arguing that he be released far from Rockland, far from Pearl River, far from anywhere near her.

Last August, with the help of Petition for Paula and local attorneys Dennis Lynch and John McGowan, Lois Bohovesky made the case that LaBarbera wasn’t reformed, that given the first opportunity to make a life for himself, he opted to drink.
You might think that kind of violation would be fatal in the case of someone who killed while so drunk he had no clear memory of what he had done.
But no, the price for LaBarbera’s violation was just one more year – a year that’s almost up.

Short of LaBarbera violating his parole again, there’s little hope to keep him behind prison walls.
But support from the Pearl River and Rockland communities together with pressure from local officials and candidates for state office and you may be enough to sway the NYS Department of Correction and Community Supervision to impose harsh conditions on his freedom – that he live somewhere far from Rockland, be required to report to parole authorities at some distant state office, and that he be barred from traveling within several counties of Rockland.

You can help by signing the petition to influence where the murderer is paroled to. Please go to http://sign.petitionforpaula.org/ to sign.

Or write a letter to the -> Peekskill Parole Office. Attn: Officer Pendarvis

201 South James Street Peekskill, NY 10566

The killer’s name is Richard LaBarbera - born and raised in Orangeburg, Rockland, murdered Paula in Pearl River, Rockland

His identification DIN is 81A2806

He will be paroled on July 23rd or sooner from the Cape Vincent Correction Facility in Jefferson CountyUpstate New York

Please act now. Keep him away !