In the early morning hours of October 11, 1992, John Rispoli viciously ended the life of the sweet soul we know as Linda Demers, at age of 44, ending any opportunity life may have afforded her and to us with her in our lives. Noted as one of the most notorious killers in New York State, the "Stretch Pants Strangler" was convicted of 2nd Degree Murder with a sentence of 25 years to Life. He is set to meet with the NY State Parole Board in June of 2017 to make a plea for his release in October of 2017 at the 25 year mark. WE, THE FAMILY, IMPLORE YOU to join our voices to keep him behind bars for the FULL TERM of LIFE.

After Linda had refused the repeated advances of Rispoli who was walking her home, he confessed to having "snapped" at which point he brutalized and strangled her and left her in the grass unconscious on the school grounds of PS 13 in Staten Island, NY. During his travels home on foot, after leaving her unconscious yet still alive, John Rispoli made the conscious decision to go back and (in his words to the detectives) "finish her off". He stripped her naked from the waist down, took her stirrup stretch pants, strung one leg through the other making a noose, flipped her over and ended her life, pulling the ligature tightly, crushing her trachea and stopping her heartbeat forever. He took her purse and shoes home with him (later stating he took them because his fingerprints were on them) and placed them in a closet in a plastic bag. He confessed to not only taking these items but also taking her fingernail home where he flushed it, according to his confession. The Police had him in custody within hours of being called to the murder scene and retrieved the items he'd taken within a short time as well. His skin and blood was found under her other fingernails, some broken and some still intact, as she'd apparently attempted to fight him off during the initial assault. Thankfully, the New York Police Department were relentless in finding her killer and the Staten Island Prosecutor's Office were extremely diligent in putting him where he belonged. In 1994, a Jury of 12 found John Rispoli to be GUILTY of the Murder of Linda Demers and sentenced to 25 Years to Life.

In the matter of the State of New York vs. John Rispoli, the sentencing of 25 Years to Life means that he is eligible to go before the NY State Parole Board starting 25 years after the murder. His hearing is set for June 2017 where he will appeal to the Board of Parole to set him free from the prison walls that have kept so many other "Lindas" safe. Many members of the Family will also be meeting with the Parole Board to implore them to keep him behind bars for the full term of his sentence. Collectively, we all feel that the world is a safer place without John Rispoli roaming free. Many of us feel that due to his former trip to Prison for a brutal assault, he proved that he is not fit for society by committing this heinous crime and therefore should serve the rest of his natural born life where he is: BEHIND BARS. We will be bringing this Petition with Us so PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE WITH ALL YOU KNOW!

Some of you knew Linda. Some of you didn't. Some of you may just know a family member or friend. She was a Daughter, a Sister, a Mother, a Niece, a Cousin, an Aunt, a Grandmother, a Granddaughter and a Friend. She had the biggest heart of anyone you'd ever have met with a contagious laughter and the sweetest disposition. Even if she was none of the above, she did NOT deserve to die in this manner nor did those of us left behind deserve to have her ripped from our lives!

No matter which way you are connected to this case, please support her family and friends in signing this petition to keep John Rispoli in Prison for LIFE.

REMEMBER: PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE WITH ALL YOU KNOW! Make your voices heard! Society is safer WITHOUT John Rispoli free to roam about.

We the Family of Linda Margaret Demers, Sincerely Thank You.