a parole board that ruled a cop killer  could walk free has revoked its decision after outcry from the victim's family and prosecutors dozens of police officers from around connecticut lined up outside the macdougall walker correctional institution in suffield on wednesday for a parole board hearing for gary castonguay castonguay, now 71, is serving 25 years to life in prison for fatally shooting 28 year old plainville police officer robert holcomb in the chest while fleeing from a burglary in 1977 he has now been locked up for more than 37 years in january, parole board members voted to release castonguay this july   sparking outrage from holcomb's relatives and prosecutors, who said they had not been told about the meeting staying put: gary castonguay listens to victim impact statements during a hearing inside macdougall walker correctional institution on wednesday, where a parole board rescinded a decision to free him  on wednesday, another hearing was held at institution where castonguay is imprisoned holcomb's niece maria weinberger read a letter from his widow, nancy holcomb searles, who was too distressed to attend 'castonguay should remain incarcerated for the remainder of his natural existence,' searles said in the letter 'he showed no regard for life, nor any remorse for his crime even today, he continues to fabricate the facts of that night in order to suit his needs and somehow excuse his heinous act' holcomb's son, mac holcomb, also addressed the board and said his sole memory of his father was when he returned home from a night shift and hid a box of doughnuts for his son to find before the family ate them for breakfast, the new britain herald reported 'i loved and admired him the way that a son should toward his father in every way,' he said, adding that castonguay 'not only took my father's life, but deprived me of growing up knowing my dad' facing his father's killer: mac holcomb, the son of officer robert holcomb (pictured left) is seen looking at castonguay as he speaks about his loss mac was just three years old when his father was killed  not happy: castonsguay reacts after his parole was revoked a board previously voted to free him in july  a panel of the board of pardons and paroles voted 3 0, without any discussion, to reverse the decision made in january asked if he had anything to say at the hearing, castonguay said: 'i guess not' the hearing was scheduled after holcomb's family and prosecutors said they were not aware of the earlier meeting they also argued that the decision was made with inadequate information about the killer's background, including other violent incidents and threats directed at law enforcement, although officials contend they did have that information connecticut prosecutor brian preleski had described castonguay as a domestic terrorist with a history of threatening to kill police 'he is one of the most dangerous people in prison in connecticut today and he should never be paroled,' preleski said before the hearing support: suffield police captain craig huntley leads a salute directed toward mac holcomb outside the correctional center after parole was rescinded to castonguay on wednesday  by his side: members of the coventry police department attend a news conference to show their support to the victim, who had been a police officer for five years when he was shot at close range in 1977  force: members of the plainville police department, of which holcomb had been a part, also attended  holcomb had been a plainville police officer for five years and was married with one son he was chasing castonguay following a home burglary when the robber shot him in the shoulder, knocking him over castonguay then approached him and shot him three times in the chest at close range, killing him 'state officials righted a wrong today,' state senator henri martin said after the hearing 'i commend the people of plainville and throughout the state for speaking out on behalf of the holcombs and rallying to support them 'we must take steps to strengthen the system so that what happened to the holcombs does not happen to other victims' families in the future i look forward to leading that effort'
gary castonguay 25 years plainville connecticut robert holcomb 1977 january july holcomb wednesday
gary castonguay is serving 25 years to life in prison for gunning down plainville, connecticut officer robert holcomb during a 1977 burglary  in january, a parole board voted to release him this july   but holcomb's family argued that they had not been told about the hearing  on wednesday, another board reversed the decision  dozens of connecticut police officers lined up outside the hearing to show their support to the family 