BOSTON — The Massachusetts Parole Board has been quietly freeing convicted killers — including a man who raped a 76-year-old at knifepoint and then raped her nurse, a gang enforcer who murdered a woman to earn a promotion, and a killer who bludgeoned a man to death and was convicted of a second killing in another state.

Mass Daily News reviewed dozens of parole decisions from 2025 and 2026 and identified eight convicted murderers who were granted parole. Most of the decisions attracted no media coverage. Several involve crimes so violent that the original judges sentenced the defendants to die in prison.

Here's who Massachusetts just set free.

1. Patrick Kelley — Raped a 76-year-old woman at knifepoint, beat her with a frying pan, then raped her visiting nurse

In 1994, Patrick Kelley broke into a 76-year-old woman's home in Dorchester, raped her at knifepoint, and beat her with a frying pan. When the victim's visiting nurse arrived, Kelley raped her too. He was convicted and sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. The parole board voted unanimously to set him free. Granted parole February 17, 2026.

2. Rickey Alford — Bludgeoned a man to death in Massachusetts, then convicted of killing someone else in Louisiana

The body of 56-year-old Julio Suarez was found in an Andover parking lot on February 16, 1995, his skull crushed by repeated blows from a blunt object. Rickey Alford had told associates beforehand that he wanted to kill Suarez over a theft dispute. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Worcester Superior Court. Then, in 1999, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an unrelated case in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Two killings. Two states. One defendant. Granted parole November 19, 2025 — to Louisiana.

3. Marcus Edwards — Ambushed two men leaving a party, shot them 19 times combined, stole a gold chain off one of the bodies

At approximately 4:00 a.m. on March 28, 1993, Kevin Christopher (23) and Lloyd Industrious (21) left a party in Mattapan and walked to their car. Marcus Edwards (20) and three co-defendants — all armed — surrounded them. They wanted Christopher's gold necklace. They opened fire. Christopher was hit 12 times. Industrious was hit 7 times. Both died. Edwards ripped the chain off Christopher's body and ran. Granted parole October 23, 2025.

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4. Leyton Burgos — Gang enforcer who said he needed to 'hit five people' to earn a promotion — then murdered a woman in her home

Leyton Burgos (19) was an "enforcer" for a Springfield gang who wanted to be elevated to "chief warlord." He told associates it would require "hitting five people." The day before the murder, he met with gang members to plan a "mission" and suggested targeting Sylvia Ramirez (22), the "godmother" of a rival gang, at her home, saying she "had to die." On May 28, 1994, they carried it out. Ramirez was shot dead. Granted parole October 14, 2025.

5. Wayland Coleman — Left a bar fight, got a gun from a car trunk, came back, and shot a 17-year-old twice — once while he was lying on the ground

A fight erupted outside the Eden Restaurant in Worcester at 1:55 a.m. on May 25, 1997. Wayland Coleman (19) left the fight, walked to a car, retrieved a gun from the trunk, walked back, and shot 17-year-old Neal-Sabree McClain at close range. McClain fell. Coleman stepped back and shot him again as he lay on the pavement. McClain was unarmed. Coleman and three others sped away. Granted parole October 14, 2025.

6. Christopher Middlemiss — Broke into his neighbor's apartment with a mask and a .45, then shot him dead when the neighbor recognized him

Shortly after 2:00 a.m. on July 4, 2006, Christopher Middlemiss (20) and a co-defendant broke into the apartment of their upstairs neighbor Alberto Cintron in Lowell, armed with .45 caliber handguns and wearing masks. Their plan was to rob Cintron of drug money. When Cintron arrived home and was ordered to the ground, he recognized Middlemiss through the mask and called him by name. Middlemiss shot him dead. Granted parole March 12, 2026.

7. John Carter — Contract killing: a drug dealer had a gun delivered to him, he lured the victim outside a hotel, and shot him point blank

A narcotics dealer wanted Jerry Hughes (22) dead and had a firearm delivered to 18-year-old John Carter. On March 3, 1991, Carter and a co-defendant drove to the Rainville Hotel in Springfield. Carter walked in, emerged minutes later with Hughes, exchanged a few words, then stepped back, reached into his jacket, pulled out the gun, and shot Hughes at point-blank range. He later admitted to the killing. Granted parole October 29, 2025.

8. Pablo Carambot — Walked into a beauty supply store, pointed a gun at a 64-year-old clerk, and shot him dead

On November 21, 2005, Pablo Carambot (20) walked into Hair Plus Beauty Supplies in Springfield with his co-defendant to rob the place. He pulled a gun on 64-year-old employee Young Man Kim. When Kim threw an object at him, Carambot fired. The bullet struck Kim. Carambot and his accomplice fled. Kim was pronounced dead at the hospital. Granted parole October 29, 2025.

The Mattis decision

Six of the eight killers on this list were originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. They became eligible only because the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Mattis (2024) that sentencing "emerging adults" — individuals who were 18 to 20 at the time of their crime — to life without parole is unconstitutional.

The ruling was based on the theory that the brain is still developing in early adulthood and that young offenders have a "greater capacity for change." In practice, it has opened the door for dozens of convicted first-degree murderers to petition for release — including men who carried out contract killings, gang executions, and armed robberies that ended in death.

The parole board has the authority to deny these petitions. In many cases, it has. But in the eight cases above, the board voted to let them walk.

Massachusetts voters have no say in the process. And in most of these cases, nobody in the media reported that the decision had been made at all — until now.

Meet the convicted killers Massachusetts just set free: a gang warlord who murdered for a promotion, a contract hitman, a man who killed in two states, and the rapist who beat a 76-year-old with a frying pan — all granted parole

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