More than 30 years after the murder of 10-year old Danny O’Donnell in Lake County, his family is fighting to keep his killer behind bars.
“It still feels like yesterday, you’ve got this hole in your heart that doesn't want to heal,” said Danny’s father, Charles O’Donnell.
On October 23, 1984, witnesses said Jeffrey Deel, 16, was passing by the O’Donnell’s Madison Township home and invited Danny to nearby Bennett Road Beach to see a fish he'd caught. A short time later, O’Donnell was found dead, face down in Lake Erie. The fifth grader, who was an avid swimmer and helpful to others, had been beaten and strangled.
Deel is scheduled for another parole hearing in February 2019 and we need your help to KEEP DANNY'S KILLER IN PRISON WHERE HE BELONGS.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 7, 2022
Reached 100 supporters
September 11, 2018
721 Comments
Please let this man stay in prison. He murdered Danny just moments after I left from fishing with Danny all that afternoon. He was molesting him and he tried to do it with another of our common friends. He is now and not ever ready to be reunited with society at Large.
Danny will never get a second chance and coming from a mother who also lost her son to murder I do not see what time would change for this monster. He only wrote the letter to impress the parole board or he would have written way sooner.
I read some of the letter he sent the family. Using unnecessary terms to them such as “I brutally killed your son” why throw in those trigger words?! He knew it would disturb them. I believe that man is evil and dangerous. Please don’t release him!
As a mother of five I can imagine the pain and suffering that the victim's family has endured. Please keep this violent offender in prison. Recidivism is high in those who commit violent crimes as young people. We need to keep our community safe.
I am so sorry for the family’s loss. We are new to Lake County but I find it horrible they have to fight to keep him behind bars every couple of years. It saddens me that I would have to worry for my own young children’s safety! Please keep him locked up where he belongs.
He deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life.
Please do not release this monster back into our community. He received a life sentence and that’s what he should get… Life in prison. The letter he wrote to his victims family almost sounds like he is gloating by describing what he did to this poor innocent child. Please do not grant parole.
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More than 30 years after the murder of 10-year old Danny O’Donnell in Lake County, his family is fighting to keep his killer behind bars.
“It still feels like yesterday, you’ve got this hole in your heart that doesn't want to heal,” said Danny’s father, Charles O’Donnell.
On October 23, 1984, witnesses said Jeffrey Deel, 16, was passing by the O’Donnell’s Madison Township home and invited Danny to nearby Bennett Road Beach to see a fish he'd caught. A short time later, O’Donnell was found dead, face down in Lake Erie. The fifth grader, who was an avid swimmer and helpful to others, had been beaten and strangled.
Deel is scheduled for another parole hearing in February 2019 and we need your help to KEEP DANNY'S KILLER IN PRISON WHERE HE BELONGS.
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 7, 2022
Reached 100 supporters
September 11, 2018
721 Comments
I feel that releasing Mr. Feel at this time will be putting more lives at risk. I do understand he was 16 at the time of the murder, but I also understand he knew exactly what he was doing. Please protect others by keeping him behind bars.
Please let this man stay in prison. He murdered Danny just moments after I left from fishing with Danny all that afternoon. He was molesting him and he tried to do it with another of our common friends. He is now and not ever ready to be reunited with society at Large.
Danny will never get a second chance and coming from a mother who also lost her son to murder I do not see what time would change for this monster. He only wrote the letter to impress the parole board or he would have written way sooner.
I read some of the letter he sent the family. Using unnecessary terms to them such as “I brutally killed your son” why throw in those trigger words?! He knew it would disturb them. I believe that man is evil and dangerous. Please don’t release him!
As a mother of five I can imagine the pain and suffering that the victim's family has endured. Please keep this violent offender in prison. Recidivism is high in those who commit violent crimes as young people. We need to keep our community safe.
I am so sorry for the family’s loss. We are new to Lake County but I find it horrible they have to fight to keep him behind bars every couple of years. It saddens me that I would have to worry for my own young children’s safety! Please keep him locked up where he belongs.
He deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life.
Please do not release this monster back into our community. He received a life sentence and that’s what he should get… Life in prison. The letter he wrote to his victims family almost sounds like he is gloating by describing what he did to this poor innocent child. Please do not grant parole.
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I feel that releasing Mr. Feel at this time will be putting more lives at risk. I do understand he was 16 at the time of the murder, but I also understand he knew exactly what he was doing. Please protect others by keeping him behind bars.