Nicole Puddicombe will have the opportunity to apply for parole three years sooner than previously scheduled, a decision reached after a recent jury hearing. She will now be eligible on May 16, 2029, instead of her original date in 2032, opening the possibility of a future outside prison walls.
The jury’s decision comes after Puddicombe, convicted of first-degree murder in the 2006 death of her boyfriend, Dennis Hoy, finally admitted responsibility for the crime. For years, she maintained she was in the shower during the brutal attack, claiming her girlfriend at the time instigated the plot and she felt trapped.
The details of Hoy’s death are chilling: he was struck six times with the blunt end of an axe while sleeping in Puddicombe’s bed. The initial defense of innocence crumbled, replaced by a narrative of a desperate attempt to escape a troubled relationship, a claim her former girlfriend still denies any involvement in.
Adding another layer of complexity to this case is Puddicombe’s current relationship within the prison system. She has formed a bond with Rainbow Hill, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence for the horrific death of her two-year-old daughter, Marissa Whalen.
Marissa’s story is a heartbreaking testament to unimaginable cruelty. Hill subjected the toddler to repeated abuse – force-feeding, slaps, and violent impacts – concealing the extent of the injuries from the outside world. The child endured months of suffering before her death in 2011.
The tragic end came after Hill flew into a rage over a soiled diaper, kicking Marissa in the stomach and throwing her into a bathtub, resulting in fatal injuries. The toddler’s body was discovered months later, buried in a remote location after being unreported missing for an extended period.
Hill pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a life sentence with no possibility of parole for twelve years. She was briefly granted day parole in 2020, but it was revoked due to behavioral issues. The prospect of these two convicted killers potentially being reunited outside of prison raises serious concerns.
The Crown attorney cautioned the jury about Puddicombe’s continued involvement in dangerous relationships, but crucial details about Hill’s crime – the fact that the victim was a child and the revocation of her parole – were withheld from them. Puddicombe was even found in Hill’s room during a prison misconduct incident in 2022, and they were later allowed to live together before Puddicombe’s transfer.
Ultimately, the jury determined Puddicombe deserved a chance at early parole, a chance her victim, Dennis Hoy, will never have. The final decision now rests with the parole board, who will weigh the evidence and determine if she will be released.
