Danny Meyer’s killer denied parole

By Connor Linskey
Posted 9/1/21

Montgomery Town Supervisor Brian Maher announced Aug. 25 that Danny Meyer’s killer Juan Peinado was denied parole by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Danny Meyer’s killer denied parole

Posted

Montgomery Town Supervisor Brian Maher announced Aug. 25 that Danny Meyer’s killer Juan Peinado was denied parole by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

On June 15, 1996, the Village of Maybrook was shaken to its core. Twelve-year-old Danny Meyer was killed by Juan Peinado, a 22-year-old Maybrook resident, as he passed through the woods on the way to his little league baseball game. Peinado has spent the last 25 years in prison. The news regarding the denial of his parole came through a statement on Facebook from Danny’s sister Kristen Smith.

“Parole was denied! Danny’s killer will remain in prison for at least two more years but hopefully the rest of his life,” Smith said. “Thank you to Rhonda D’Auria, Shannon Malone, Supervisor Brian Maher and everyone for your support through letters to the parole board, signatures, thoughts, prayers and love these past few months in addition to the past 25 years.”

Maher commended the Town of Montgomery community for their support of the Meyer family.

“The Town of Montgomery is an amazing community that always comes together when any family or individual is in need,” he said. “We are so proud of the more than 5,000 petition signers, the hundreds of individuals who wrote personal letters to the parole board and the residents and officials that showed up to the Village of Maybrook for our candlelit vigil. Together we will celebrate this moment but also not lose sight of the fact that there is still more work to be done to ensure Danny’s killer remains behind bars for the rest of his life.”

The New York State Parole Board posted Peinado’s new parole date for August 2023 on Aug. 25, which confirmed the decision made to deny his parole. Through the grassroots effort to keep Danny’s killer in prison the community also raised over $1,000 towards a scholarship fund which will benefit local youth. An annual event will be established to continue to build this scholarship fund and ensure the greater Town of Montgomery community always memorializes Danny Meyer’s memory.

Moving forward, Maher will work with state representatives to find a way through legislation to keep Peinado in prison for life.

Smith was happy with the news regarding the denial of Peinado’s parole although she noted there is much work to be done.

“His denial of parole means that justice is still served,” she said. “The parole board got this right and will hopefully continue to get this right moving forward. It’s absurd that we have to relive this every two years by begging the board to keep a child killer behind bars. Joan’s Law in New Jersey and now Paula’s Law in New York prevent child killers from ever getting parole. While this doesn’t help us, something should change. He’s [Peinado] 47 years old. We can go through this whole parole process again and again for the next 25 years. We shouldn’t have to but we’ll do whatever it takes.”