Local family fights parole of man who killed ex-girlfriend in front of her daughter at a Stark Co. gas station in 1980

In a case that has haunted a family for more than four decades, Lincoln Mabry Jr., who was convicted of murdering his estranged girlfriend, Rebecca “Becky” Kerr, in front of her eight-year-old daughter, Melissa, in February 1980, is once again up for parole. Despite strong opposition from Kerr’s family and domestic violence advocates, the Ohio Parole Board recently voted 5-1 to release Mabry in 2024.

On the day of the murder, Mabry followed Kerr to a babysitter’s home, where he forced her into a car at gunpoint. The confrontation escalated into a horrific scene when, in front of Melissa, Mabry shot Kerr multiple times in a gas station parking lot in Perry Township as she tried to flee. He then reloaded his weapon and fired again. Following the murder, Mabry fled to Columbus, where he turned himself in two days later.

Mabry was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but changes in Ohio’s sentencing laws have made him eligible for parole. This upcoming hearing marks the latest in a series of parole reviews, with Mabry previously being denied release in 2012, 2017, and 2022. Despite these denials, the Parole Board has now indicated his potential release in 2024.

Becky’s family, led by her brother, Joseph Kerr, and supported by community advocates like Helen Sirius, co-founder of a domestic violence project, has actively campaigned against Mabry’s release. Joseph has gathered over 2,000 signatures on petitions , seeking to keep his sister’s killer behind bars.

“Becky was a victim of domestic violence long before that tragic day,” Joseph said in an interview. “Link [Mabry] threatened her constantly, and she lived in fear. He finally took her life, but it wasn’t just her life he destroyed—it was our entire family, and especially Melissa, who had to witness it.”

Becky’s story will be highlighted at a local “Take Back the Night” event on October 23, where survivors and advocates will speak out against domestic violence. Joseph plans to share his sister’s story as a reminder of the devastating impact of abuse and to rally more support against Mabry’s release.

“We want to make sure the parole board understands that releasing him is a mistake. He took someone’s life in the most brutal way possible, and my sister deserves justice. We will fight to make sure he stays in prison.”

In the years since Becky’s murder, Melissa has largely stayed out of the public eye, but her experience as a child survivor of this tragedy is a key part of the Kerr family’s efforts to oppose Mabry’s release. Following her mother’s death, Melissa was cared for by Joseph’s mother, and the trauma of that day remains a shadow over her life.

Becky was one of the first residents at a domestic violence project in Canton, where she sought refuge from Mabry’s abuse. Just before her murder, her boss had discovered bruises on her face—marks left by a beating from Mabry using a roll of quarters. Despite her attempts to escape, Mabry’s obsession ultimately led to her death.

Mabry’s parole hearing is set to take place in the coming months, and Joseph Kerr is preparing once again to argue against the release of his sister’s killer.

“The parole process has been draining,” Joseph said. “Each time we think it’s over, we’re forced to relive the nightmare. But we’ll keep fighting. Becky deserves that much.”

The Kerr family’s case has drawn widespread attention from law enforcement and domestic violence prevention advocates, many of whom have voiced their concerns about releasing Mabry.

The decision to potentially release Mabry has left the Kerr family frustrated with the lack of transparency from the parole board. The reasons for the board’s shift in favor of Mabry’s release remain unclear to the family, who continue to push for answers.

As the parole hearing approaches, the Kerr family and their supporters remain steadfast in their mission to keep Mabry behind bars, not only as justice for Becky, but as a stand against domestic violence and the release of dangerous individuals.

For now, all eyes are on the parole board as the date for the final decision draws near.