Man serving life sentence for beating, raping, and attempting to murder 18-year-old granted parole

A man who was serving a life sentence for the brutal rape, robbery, and assault of a “cognitively-delayed woman” in 1977 was granted parole last week. 

Gary Moody, who was 31 at the time he committed the crimes, has been incarcerated for 47 years. He is currently 78. Moody appeared before the state’s parole board in March, his eighth such appearance. Moody also sought parole in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019, according to the parole board. 

The board issued its decision granting parole on July 24. Moody is still incarcerated in Gardner, according to state records, and will be released within 45 days of the decision. 

On the night of Oct. 14, 1977, Moody and a number of others spent the evening playing pool and drinking at a lounge in downtown Boston. Moody and his co-defendents were introduced to the victim, who was 18 at the time, by an acquaintance, according to the decision.

The group left in a car and drove to Franklin Park. On the way there, Moody said that he was entitled to have sex with the victim because he won a bet while playing pool. He and another person began beating the victim before reaching the park, according to the decision. In the park, Moody and a co-defendent left the car with the teenager. She was later “observed to be crying, with her pants pulled down, as Mr. Moody urinated on her.”

After leaving Franklin Park, the group went to Columbia Point in Dorchester. There, Moody continued to beat the teenager and demand money from her. He “stripped off what remained of her clothes” and forced her to perform oral sex on him. Moody raped the victim multiple times, and two others sexually assaulted her as well, according to the decision. 

The group departed Columbia Point and drove to Mt. Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy. Moody continued to physically and sexually assault the teenager while demanding money on the way there. At the cemetery, Moody said “I have to get rid of her” and dragged the victim out of the car with the help of a co-defendant. 

Moody beat her again and slit her throat, using the victim’s own pocketknife. He walked away, then went back to kick her numerous times as she lay on the ground. Moody and the others then drove away, according to the decision. 

The teenager survived, stumbling to a nearby house. She was brought to a local hospital, and spent almost a month and a half there recovering. She suffered two black eyes, a broken nose, and multiple bruises and lacerations around her face and head. The laceration of her throat pierced her esophagus and windpipe. 

Moody was convicted of rape, robbery, assault to murder, and assault with a dangerous weapon in July 1978. He has been sober since 1986, and his last disciplinary report occurred in 1995. Moody incurred seven “sanctioned tickets” in his 47 years of incarceration. He completed a sex offender treatment program in 2014. 

The board noted in its decision that Moody was “forthcoming” during the most recent hearing, and that he is experiencing “significant” health issues. 

While on parole Moody must abstain from alcohol, attend AA meetings and counseling sessions, and not contact the victim or her family, according to the decision. The document does not provide any information about the victim’s whereabouts today.