It was one of the most notorious murders in the history of Hamilton. More than three decades ago, a former city manager murdered his wife and two young children. Tuesday, at a hearing in Gravenhurst, Jon Rallo won partial freedom. James MacDonald reports.
After 31 years behind bars, Jon rallo has been granted day parole, on his fourth appearance before an appeals panel of the National Parole Board.
“-a release into the community to a halfway house for up to six months.”
Carol Sparling, National Parole Board
At that point, a decision will be made whether to extend it.
Jon Rallo’s crime was a triple murder of shocking brutality.
Around August 16th and 17th, 1976, Jon’s 29 year old wife Sandra Rallo was dumped in the Welland Canal — weighed down with an anchor, her body beaten.
Daughter Stephanie was found in Jordan Harbour, also weighed down.
The body of son Jason was never found.
Jon Rallo worked as a city hall manager before his conviction more than thirty years ago. over the years he has refused to take any responsibility for his crime, despite forensic and circumstantial evidence pointing to his guilt. Rallo has been incarcerated at the Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst.
The family of Sandra Rallo couldn’t be reached for comment.
But they have opposed any kind of release for Jon, as Sandra’s father Doug Pollington told us in 1993:
“The pain is never gone. I’m going to continue to petition if I have to – write, provoke, agitate.”
The board says many factors are considered in the decision — first and foremost, the risk to the community.
Before now, Jon Rallo had been rejected three times for day parole.
©2008 CHCH News
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