Holiday Greetings 2008  / Debbie Marino
December 19 2008

SNOW DAY



Hello and Merry Christmas

I am writing this letter so I don't have to re-write the same information over and over again.  Not that you're not worth it.  A recent and unexpected decision changed the course of events in our life (If you know about the unexpected decision skip page one and go to page two).

The good news is that Adam Peterson the twenty year old UW student who murdered Joel decided to plead guilty to First Degree Murder Intentional Homicide about three weeks ago.  He said three things influenced his change of heart.  He wanted to get out of jail/solitary confinement and he didn't want to cause any more pain to his family or to ours.  Adam's plea means there will not be a jury trial...that's the best news ever.  Once Adam said he wanted to plea out a court date was set for "Plea and Sentencing."

Lou Brian Heidi (Brian's wife) Dom Regan and I went to the "Plea and Sentencing."  It was very emotional.  Adam P. said that he willfully and without provocation murdered Joel.  After Adam's plea he was "sentenced to life" and immediately taken to Dodge Correctional Prison for processing before going to a maximum prison.

"Sentenced to Life" doesn't mean a life sentence in Wisconsin.  We have another court date to attend for "Sentencing" in Februari.  We are asking for fifty years and will settle for no less than forty.  That's what we have told our attorney.  Of course the Peterson family is asking for much less prison time for Adam.  Ultimately the decision is up to the judge.  Prior to deciding the length of Adam's sentence the judge hears the arguments of each attorney reads a "Pre-sentencing Investigation Report" and listens to the comments from Joel's and Adam's family and friends.  We'll see what happens.  If and when Adam is released from prison he will be under Court Supervision for the rest of his life.

This is the most heart hurting year of our lives and the lives of a lot of other people.  Considering all that's happened we have had several breaks (blessings).  Three weeks after Joel's murder Lou and I made the commitment to not let Joel's murder turn into a cold case.  We went to work on that full force.  We had the support/prayers/positive energy of friends family and total strangers.  Lou and I talked to the newspaper reporters radio program hosts local television reporters Fox News Program "On the Record" and key personnel in the state and federal government.  Joel's friends and co-workers were also busy keeping his name and image in the news.

In Juni we were informed that Adam was caught and confessed to Joel's murder.  Adam was incarcerated in Minnesota where he lived at the time.  In a taped jail telephone conversation with his parents he admitted to murdering Joel for the second time.  Adam's DNA was on the paring knife that killed Joel and on his knit cap and backpack.  There were four eyewitnesses who identified Adam.

We were told that we would go to trial in a year to a year and a half--that's the usual amount of time.  A few months later we were informed that the trial date was set for the week of Januari 12.  Close to a month before the trial Adam reconsidered the original plea against his attorney's advice and plead guilty to all charges.  No trial.  We have one more court appearance "Sentencing" in Februari 2009.

As you know Joel was murdered on Januari 28 2008.  We will complete the final judicial part of the case in mid-Februari 2009.  The legal process/heartache will end up being a little over a year.  We have been told time and time again by people who know that this very rarely happens.  I don't know why we have been so blessed when we know families/parents of murdered children whose cases go unsolved.  Respectfully Lou and I gladly/thankfully take the blessings that we have been given.

We miss Joel we love him he is and always will be in our hearts.

-----------------------------------

As you can imagine Joel's murder consumed all of our lives.  But good things happened in 2008.  My parents had their Golden Anniversary...yeah!  Kate Sean and Olivia were married.  A baby is coming this summer!  Marti and Steve were married on the beach in Florida...beautiful!  Jackie and Josh are engaged...happy! We all got a year older...ick!  We really had a good time great laughs at Thanksgiving and I anticipate we'll have just as much fun if not more over Christmas.

Lou and I want to say "thank you" and we wish you love peace happiness and joy.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 


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There Are Places I Remember  / Lou Marino (Father)
There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain.

All these places have their moments

Of lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I loved them all


And with all these friends and lovers

There is no one that compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

And I know I will never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I loved you more

I loved you more...



There Are Places I Remember by John Lennon and Paul McCartney was a favorite song of Joel's. In his honor the song was sung by a guitar soloist on Saturday Februari 4 2008 the day of his funeral. Close

Joel's loving heart touched ours, once again.  / Pat Shannon (Childhood family friend )
May 27, 2008


Dear Lou,

You may not remember me, and at this time of excruciating sorrow, no one could expect it of you. But our sons were friends long ago and we have never forgotten you, Joel, Dominick, and dearest Nancy.

In late March 1987, my son, Michael Neville, was a brand new student at the McFarland Middle School. We had just moved from Idaho to Wisconsin, and at that age, changing schools was pretty scary for Michael. But at the end of his first day of school, Michael came home excited and happy. A brand new friend had invited him to a birthday party! "Imagine that, he didn't even know me, but he invited me!" We would both come to know and love Joel Marino.

The boys became good buddies, staying close after we moved to the far west side of Madison. Time passed and then Nancy died. Life changed for both our families and soon the boys saw much less of each other. In 1993 Michael graduated from West High and promptly moved back to Idaho to keep some childhood promises. A year later he was married, and now he and Wendy have two little boys. Michael is the Assistant Superintendent of the Street Department for the City of Pocatello. Not his dream job of firefighter; just what happened instead. My daughter graduated from UW-Madison, also in 1993, and moved to Maine. I followed her in 2002. I go to Wisconsin once a year, most recently last December, and haven't followed the news much since moving to Maine. And so I did not know what happened to Joel.

On Friday, May 23rd, my son Michael was with his family in a motel room in Logan, Utah, getting ready to attend his wife's grandfather's 80th birthday party. The television was on. Fox News was telling the story of the Madison murders. Michael said he was stunned by the unexpected waves of memory and horror and grief.

Michael e-mailed me--reaching out to me for the first time in several years. We have been estranged, for reasons both real and imagined. But in our shared sorrow, we were able to bridge what had seemed an impassable river of our own, much smaller tragedies.

Joel's loving heart touched ours, once again.

I know that this is an inconsolable loss. My heart aches for you and I will hold you and your family in my prayers in the long years to come. I too, take comfort in the belief that Joel and his mother are together again. But oh, if only it did not have to be now, and this way.

I am sending a book that was recently published by the company I work for. As the Editorial Assistant I had some small part in it and I am very proud of the book.

I wish that Michael and I had known the man that Joel became. You must have been so very very proud of him. We are so sorry, Lou.



Blessings,


Pat Shannon
6 Rocky Point Road
Lincolnville, ME 04849 Close

Parents of the Year: Lou and Debbie Marino  / Bill Lueders (Isthmus)
Cheap Shots 2008:  Payback Time
Isthmus caps off a year of hard knocks with some pointed last-minute jabs

12/25/2008

Parents of the Year: Lou and Debbie Marino

What could be more awful than having one's child murdered, suddenly and senselessly, in the prime of his life?  For the parents of Joel Marino, 31, who was stabbed to death at his home in late January, it was the sense that not enough was being done to find his killer and keep others safe. So they pushed police to pursue every lead; and, whether or not the police needed pushing, they did track down a suspect and make an arrest. The Marinos had
good reason to be proud of their son, and he of them.


http://www.isthmus.com/isthmus/article.php?article=24678
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Joel the multi-tasker with a smile  / Janet Laban (Colleague and Friend )
Dear Family and Friends of Joel,

My name is Janet , we do not know each other but shared a friend. I am a nurse that works in a small device clinic in Dubuque, Iowa. I am wholly aware the comments I make about Joel will resonate what you already know. I have known Joel ever since he started with Guidant. Our relationship was professional; frequently dealing with critical aspects of a person’s life and well being. Joel and I were both new in our roles many years ago, and Joel has since become my main source of knowledge and support in regards to device therapy. Joel was able to recognize the seriousness of a situation and at the same time could de-escalate tension with his wonderful sense of humor.

I would like to share a couple of stories about Joel. We were in the middle of a particularly stressful implant; not a smile in the room except for the one on Joel’s radiology vest! I do not know if Joel intentionally wore the blue and white pinstriped vest with the big bright yellow smiley face but it served a purpose that day. Joel and I were across the silent, tense room from each other when I looked up and witnessed Joel excitedly pointing to the big smiley face on his vest; a priceless moment! Joel was the best multi-tasker and knew how to be respectful and devote attention to where it was needed the most.

I might describe Joel as a bit self absorbed at times in a good fun way! An example that comes to mind is when we were troubleshooting the pacemaker of a well spoken retired physical therapist. Somehow the appointment turned into a discussion and therapy for Joel’s back and neck problems. The patient actually tried to work out the “knots” in Joel’s neck and was empathetic of the perceived tension Joel was under. This patient asks about Joel every time I see her and she will be saddened to hear about him.

These are the kind of positive interactions Joel had with whomever he encountered. Joel was whom I called upon whenever I was faced with doubt or uncertainty in a situation. Joel was an inspiration to me and gave me confidence when I needed it. I owe many of my professional achievements to Joel. Over the years Joel became more than a colleague; he was a unique and rare friend. Joel will remain with me forever; I will miss him terribly. I can not imagine the grief you are feeling but I wanted to express my sincere condolences for the loss of Joel. I hope that knowing Joel connected with the lives of so many will bring you some sense of joy and comfort. Joel’s spirit will live forever!

Sincerely,

Janet Laban Close