John Jackson, callously and brutally murdered his young wife in cold blood, Elizabeth A. Gangi, in 1995, by beating and strangling her to death in a fit of jealous rage. Elizabeth was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a niece, cousin, and a friend. She was full of life and promises for the future.

Elizabeth was the sole provider for her family, which also included their son Nicholas. Her greatest love was focused on her son. She dreamt of a future dedicated to teaching and nurturing Nicholas and someday seeing him with a family of his own. Elizabeth worked as much overtime as was available to her to support her family, sometimes working herself into exhaustion. Jackson was the very antithesis of this, having previously being fired from his job at the Post Office for embezzlement. His termination was preceded by suspensions due to his drinking and substance abuse. He was content to lay around the house and wait for her to serve him. He made no attempt to secure temporary employment while awaiting the outcome of his appeals at work. He repeatedly rejected the importance Elizabeth put on their son and providing for him.

Elizabeth knew that Jackson's irresponsibility made him unfit to care for or even watch their son while she worked. Because of his lack of responsibility, Nicholas, who was 2 days shy of his 2nd birthday the day his mother was murdered, was at the home of his grandparents, whom she had requested care for him while she worked. Nicholas was awaiting pickup from his mom and when she didn't show up to pick him up at the scheduled time, something she would never do, her parents began repeatedly calling her home. After receiving no answer, Elizabeth's father and brother Peter went to her home and found all the doors locked. Her father climbed through a window where they found John passed out drunk in the bathtub and Elizabeth beaten and strangled on the floor.

To this day, Jackson has never once expressed remorse or accepted responsibility for Elizabeth's murder. Elizabeth's parents, Gloria and Peter Gangi, adopted Nicholas and raised him as their own son. Nicholas had two moms due to Jackson’s actions. Unfortunately, Gloria & Pete recently passed away within 2 weeks of one other. They cannot be here to fight against Jackson’s release or offer their own account of what they went through as parents burying their young daughter, but they made it clear that they would fight against his release.

At sentencing, Jackson was sentenced to 25 to life, the maximum allowed by law at the time. During sentencing, the judge noted that he received over 500 letters requesting he give Jackson life without parole, but pointed out that a new state law, having gone into effect on September 1, 1995, the day after Elizabeth was murdered, made that impossible.

Jackson has served the MINIMUM of his sentence and even the judge believed he deserved more than that. Please help to keep Elizabeth’s killer where he belongs – behind bars!!!

Please sign this petition and tell Governor Cuomo and his Parole Board that we, the undersigned, find the idea of the release of John Jackson, convicted murderer of Elizabeth A. Gangi, at this time to be incompatible with the welfare of society, and would so deprecate the serious nature of the crime as to undermine respect for the law.