Human Wreckage True Crime
Disturbing True Crime Stories, These include, murderers, kidnappings, serial killers. Solved and unsolved.
Human Wreckage True Crime
The Untimely Death of an Innocent Husband – John Grega
Was John Grega a victim of a flawed justice system, or did he commit the unthinkable? Join us as we unravel the harrowing tale of a man who spent years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit—only to be vindicated by the marvels of modern DNA technology. On the fateful day of September 12, 1994, Grega's world was shattered when he discovered his wife, Christine, brutally slain. Despite his innocence, circumstantial evidence and a narrative of marital discord sealed his fate. Discover how a pair of painters with criminal records added layers of complexity to a case that seemed open-and-shut to jurors, but was anything but.
Fast forward to 2010, where the story takes a dramatic turn with advancements in forensic science. DNA evidence that lay dormant for years finally saw the light, marking a critical pivot in Grega’s quest for justice. It wasn't just about proving his innocence; it was about exposing the systemic flaws that led to his wrongful conviction. Listen as we navigate Grega’s arduous journey from imprisonment to exoneration, shedding light on the relentless pursuit of justice and the transformative power of DNA. This episode of "Human Wreckage" challenges perceptions, questions the reliability of circumstantial evidence, and underscores the vital role of forensic innovation in modern law.
John Grega was wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. An advance in DNA technology proved that he was innocent and he was exonerated. Welcome to another episode of Human Wreckage. This episode we look at the case of John Grega. Let's get into it.
Speaker 1:It was the 12th of September 1994, when a man living in the Timber Creek Condominiums in Westover, vermont, heard a loud banging at his door. When he opened it he was met by 32-year-old NASA contract engineer John Grega. John told him that he needed to use his phone to ring 911 after finding his wife, christine slain in the bathtub. John told police that he had taken his son to a play park before returning back home. When he arrived back at the condominium, he said he then discovered his wife's body in the bathtub. An autopsy determined that Christine had been raped, sodomized and then strangled to death. John, christine and their two-year-old son had been vacationing in West Dover near the Mount Snowski area and had rented a condominium. The family were from Long Island, new York, where Grega worked for his family's window washing business and Christine was a physician's assistant who worked in a rehabilitation center. Grega denied any involvement in the shocking murder, but police claimed the couple had been having marital issues and went on vacation. As a make or break ultimatum, grega had allegedly told police that he and his wife had engaged in rough sex before her death, which could have explained some of the physical injuries. Furthermore, investigators noted that he was scheduled to receive $350,000 in life insurance proceeds from his wife's death if she were to die accidentally. Investigators noted that during their investigation, grega had suggested that Christine fell and died. During his trial, there was no physical evidence against him and the prosecution mounted a circumstantial case. The defense had offered a counter-theory in the case that focused on two painters with criminal records who had been working at the condominium complex where Christine was murdered On the day of the murder, Brian Comey and Michael Carpenter were working as day laborers painting the exterior of the complex.
Speaker 1:Comey had a substantial violent criminal record and a history of sexual aggression towards women. He had also entered and stolen property from at least one other condominium. According to records, moreover, comey smoked Marlboros. This was a crucial piece of evidence, gregor's attorney believed, because a piece of a Marlboro cigarette box was found partly flushed in the toilet. Yet neither Gregor smoked. Comey and Carpenter both gave false addresses and phone numbers. They gave inconsistent stories as to whether Gregor's car was parked at the condominium around the time of the murder and told inconsistent stories about what part of the condominium they were painting. Furthermore, they both lied about what time they got home that night. Even more disturbingly, bryant Comey himself admits that when he arrived home that night, he may have joked about the death of the lady and joked that he had killed the lady to his girlfriend, according to the defense. Nevertheless, grega was found guilty of Christine's murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Speaker 1:As Grega languished in Southern State Correctional Facility, he continued to maintain his innocence While there, he was an upstanding inmate. He worked as the librarian at the prison's legal library and aided other inmates with their legal work while fighting to throw out his own conviction. He's a very well-spoken young man, said Southern State Correctional Facility Superintendent Mark Patanas. If I had more inmates like him, I'd be a happy man.
Speaker 1:In 2010, his attorneys requested that evidence collected at the crime scene be tested. The evidence included swabs taken from inside Christine's rectum. At the time of the crime, dna testing wasn't as advanced as it is now. When DNA from the swabs were eventually tested two years later, it was found to not match John's DNA. The DNA from this unknown person came from skin cells that were left behind as Christine was brutally sodomized. Given the damage done and the violence, it suggests, you would think that the person that left the DNA was responsible for the violence that occurred, said Matthew Valerio, the state's Defender General. The DNA also didn't match Brian Comey and Michael Carpenter, the painters that Grega's defense put forward as alternative suspects, and Michael Carpenter, the painters that Grega's defense put forward as alternative suspects.
Speaker 1:After these results, grega's legal team filed a motion asking that their client be freed or at least be granted a new trial. It is difficult to overstate the game-changing nature of this new evidence, especially in a case where, as here, the evidence of Mr Grega's guilt has at all times been purely circumstantial. The lawyers wrote in the motion Grega's guilt has at all times been purely circumstantial. The lawyers wrote in the motion Under the reasonable doubt standard. This new DNA evidence, which was never presented to the jury and therefore was never considered in deliberations, would have not just slightly, but vastly increased the likelihood of an acquittal or a hung jury in the original trial. Put simply, we now have compelling evidence that John Grega did not commit the crime for which he has served nearly two decades in jail On the 22nd of August 2012, grega was released from prison.
Speaker 1:I always said I would walk out. He said. I never gave up. I feel good.
Speaker 1:At approximately 5 pm, grega walked out of the doors of the Southern State Correctional Facility after spending 18 long years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. His mother, brother, sister and attorney, ian Carlton, were waiting for him. He dropped his two large garbage bags, which contained all of his possessions, and hugged them all. Johnny, you look great. I brought you a Snapple, said his mother, marion Gregga.
Speaker 1:Gregga's case marked the first time a conviction had been overturned under a 2008 Vermont law that allows convicted felons to request DNA testing that may not have been available at the time of their trial. Following his conviction being overturned, the Wyndham County State's Attorney's Office reserved the right to retry him, but announced that they had no plans to do so. The right to retry him, but announced that they had no plans to do so. Following Grega's release, he filed a lawsuit against the town of Dover, former state's attorney Dan Davis and Vermont state troopers William Pettingill, richard Holden and Glenn Cutting. In his lawsuit, grega accused these officials of maliciously and improperly pursuing him as the sole suspect in his wife's murder. Unfortunately, however, grega never got the chance to receive that compensation.
Speaker 1:On the 23rd of January 2015, john Grega crashed into a tree and died. He was just minutes away from the home he shared with his elderly mother in Lake Ronkonkoma, long Island. He had been driving his 1999 Chevrolet van when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree. He was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Thanks again for joining me. What are your thoughts on this case? Sounds like justice was never truly served in this case. Till next time. Thank you for listening. If you like what I do, please like and subscribe. Take care.