More than four decades after the murder of 16-year-old Paula Bohovesky, one of the men convicted in her death is headed back to state prison after repeatedly violating parole.
Robert McCain, who was convicted along with Richard LaBarbera in Bohovesky’s 1980 murder, was granted parole in 2021 after spending roughly 40 years behind bars.
Since his release, McCain has returned to custody multiple times. His parole has now been revoked following three violations, according to recent reports.
Murder of Paula Bohovesky
Bohovesky was 16 when she was killed on Oct. 28, 1980, while walking home after working at the Pearl River Public Library.
The Pearl River High School student was attacked and killed in a case that shocked the community and remained in the public spotlight for decades.
McCain and LaBarbera were later convicted of the murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
The two men eventually became eligible for parole after serving decades behind bars.
LaBarbera was released on parole in 2019. McCain was granted parole in 2021, despite opposition from Bohovesky’s family and members of the Pearl River community.
McCain’s Return to Custody
McCain’s release did not mark the end of his involvement with the criminal justice system.
In July 2025, he was arrested following an incident at a park in Cortlandt. He later pleaded guilty to forcible touching and served four months in jail.
He was subsequently involved in another case in Peekskill.
According to authorities, the November 2025 incident involved an attempt to remove a license plate and registration from a parked vehicle. McCain later pleaded guilty to aggravated harassment and petit larceny.
In March 2026, he was sentenced to six months in jail. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision also imposed a six-month sentence for a parole violation.
His latest parole revocation means McCain will return to state prison. News 12 reported that he is expected to serve approximately 10 additional months, with a projected release date of May 1.
Continued Opposition to His Release
McCain’s parole has been controversial since the beginning.
Bohovesky’s family, community members and local officials had opposed his release and urged the state to keep him incarcerated.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day has also been a vocal critic of the parole decision. Following McCain’s 2025 arrest, Day renewed his criticism of the decision to release him.
The case has also become part of the broader political debate over New York’s parole policies, with critics arguing that the state has been too lenient toward people convicted of serious crimes.
However, parole decisions are made by the New York State Board of Parole, rather than by a political party or Albany lawmakers as a group.
For Pearl River residents who have remembered Bohovesky’s death for more than 45 years, McCain’s return to prison represents another chapter in one of the community’s most painful and enduring cases.
Bohovesky was 16 when her life was cut short. The latest developments surrounding her killer have once again brought her name and the 1980 murder back into public attention.
Photo Courtesy: Senator Weber’s office
