Patrick Kelley, now 61, was sentenced to three concurrent life sentences in 1995 after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated rape as a habitual criminal.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office opposed his release. The board overruled the objection in a unanimous decision.

Kelley was 30 years old in September 1994 when he showed up at the woman's home, where she lived with her bedridden, ill husband. He had previously visited the house to do construction work. This time, he lied and told her he had material for the contractor.

Once inside, he grabbed the woman from behind, put his arm around her neck, and told her he had a gun and a knife. He forced her into the kitchen, where he struck her with a bottle and a cast iron frying pan, slapped her, and told her to "keep quiet and shut her mouth."

He demanded her jewelry box and cash, then forced her to the second floor, where he raped her.

When the victim did not produce enough money, Kelley threatened to rape and murder her bedridden husband.

"I'll rape and kill your husband if you don't give me what I want," he told her, according to a Suffolk County prosecutor.

Kelley stole approximately $75. He told the woman he was a drug addict who needed a fix, and that he would kill her because he "did not mind dying."

The visiting nurse then arrived at the home.

Kelley, still armed with a knife, forced the nurse upstairs and ordered her to remove her clothing. He told her "he could kill her" and that "he had killed a police officer before." He forced the 76-year-old woman to lie face down on the floor, threw the nurse onto the bed, and raped her.

He then took both women downstairs, went through their pocketbooks for money, locked them both in the bathroom, barricaded the door, ripped the phones from the walls, and fled.

In addition to the three life sentences for aggravated rape, Kelley pleaded guilty to armed robbery (life), armed assault in a dwelling (life), two counts of kidnapping (9.5 to 10 years), assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon on a person age 65 or older (9.5 to 10 years), and assault by means of a dangerous weapon (4.5 to 5 years).

Before the 1994 attack, Kelley had already served time for felony convictions in Middlesex County, including for assault on an elderly person.

This was Kelley's fifth appearance before the board. In previous hearings, he had been told to focus on building a re-entry plan.

"Mr. Kelley completed the Sex Offender Treatment Program and has remained in maintenance and lifer group," the board wrote in its decision. "Mr. Kelley's offense was directly related to addiction. He has been sober for 30 years."

The board noted Kelley has been disciplinary-report free for more than 11 years and has been employed in the prison kitchen for over a year.

"Mr. Kelley demonstrated further insight into his pattern of offending and invested in Restorative Justice practices," the board wrote.

"The Board considered the testimony of Suffolk County ADA Montez Haywood in opposition to parole. The Board concludes by unanimous decision that Patrick Kelley has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society."