As we approach 20 years since Jobeth was taken from us in April 2007, our family is facing something we hoped would remain far in the distance: the possibility of parole for the man who murdered her.

Before we tell you why we are asking for your support, we want you to know who Jobeth was.

Jobeth was a force. She was vibrant and strong. When Jobeth walked into a room, the energy changed. She drew people in, made them laugh, and made whatever was happening feel a little more alive. She was the queen of making the perfect mixed CD, could quote movie lines word for word, was always up for an ice cream run, and was the kind of person who would drop everything to be there for someone she loved.

Her family and friends knew that when they needed her, Jobeth showed up. She loved deeply and fought fiercely for the people she loved. She was loyal to her core, funny, stubborn, generous, feisty, and entirely herself.

She was not someone who moved quietly through the world.

And for six short months, we got to see her become a mother.

Her daughter, Jayla, was only six months old when Jobeth was killed. Today, she is 19.

We would give anything to have watched Jobeth raise her. Instead, we have spent 19 years recognizing pieces of Jobeth in her daughter: her looks, her humor, her work ethic, her love of family, her feisty nature, her love of animals, and her ability to dream big.

There is something beautiful about seeing so much of Jobeth in Jayla. There is also something incredibly painful about it. Jayla should not have had to know her mother through other people's memories. She deserved to make her own memories with her. She deserved to know the sound of her mother's laugh, to argue with her, call her for advice, celebrate with her, and simply have her there.

And Jobeth deserved those years, too.

She deserved to find out what kind of mother she would become. She deserved to watch her daughter grow up. She deserved ordinary days and milestones, new friendships and old ones, mistakes and second chances. She deserved to grow older alongside the people who loved her.

That future was taken from her.

The violence that ended Jobeth's life did not begin on the day she was murdered. Before her death, there was a pattern of manipulation, control, and escalating violence. It was a gradual breaking down of a woman who was strong-willed, fiercely loyal, and deeply loving, using some of the very qualities that made her who she was against her.

That history matters when considering whether the person responsible for her death should now be released. So do the circumstances of her murder. Jobeth was trying to get away from him and get back to her baby. While the car was in drive, he held a gun to the back of her head and pulled the trigger.

Nearly two decades have passed. We understand that the passage of time is part of the parole process. But time passing does not make this crime less serious. It does not return anything that was taken. And it does not erase our concerns about the behaviors that preceded Jobeth's murder or what his release could mean for Jayla and for others.

This is not about revenge.

It is about whether someone who demonstrated a pattern of manipulation, control, and escalating violence, and who ultimately executed Jobeth as she was trying to escape him and return to her infant daughter, should now be trusted with the freedom to enter other people's lives again.

As Jobeth's family, that question weighs heavily on us.

We think about Jayla, who has already lived nearly her entire life with the consequences of his actions. She deserves to feel safe as she builds her own adult life.

And we think about people who do not know his history. We cannot predict the future, and we do not claim to. But we believe the behaviors that preceded Jobeth's murder are serious and relevant when evaluating the potential risk of his release.

For almost 20 years, Jobeth has had no choices.

She did not get to choose what kind of mother she would be. She did not get to choose what she would do with her life. She did not get to see her daughter become the woman she is today.

The man who took those choices from her is now asking for the opportunity to regain his own freedom.

We do not believe that time has yet come.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” (Proverbs 31:8)

Jobeth cannot speak for herself today, so we will continue to speak for her.

This year, we are asking the Pennsylvania Parole Board to deny parole and keep the man convicted of Jobeth's murder incarcerated.

If you believe the seriousness of Jobeth's murder, the circumstances that preceded it, its lifelong impact on her daughter and family, and the continued importance of public safety warrant his continued incarceration, we ask you to please sign and share this petition.

Jobeth should be remembered for far more than what happened to her.

She was a daughter. A sister. A friend. A new mother.

She was funny and fierce. Strong-willed and full of life. She loved hard. She made people laugh. She had plans. She had dreams. She had an entire life ahead of her. 

She was here. She mattered. And she should still be here.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 34:18)

For nearly 20 years, we have carried both our grief and our love for Jobeth. We will continue to carry both.

Thank you for remembering Jobeth and for standing with Jayla and our family.