Before: The Honorable Judge Keogh
Good morning. My name is Cheryl Palazzo. I am the victim,
Lauren Ise’s mother.
I want to start by thanking this court — and especially you, Judge
Keogh — for your consideration, and for giving me the opportunity to
speak today.
My name is Cheryl Palazzo.
I was — I am — Lauren’s mom.
I was blessed to be her mother for just over twenty-nine short years.
I am here today not to speak of sorrow, but of truth.
Since he chose to horrifically murder my child, I will give you a small
window into my new normal.
Most days, getting out of bed is a task.
Some days are better than others.
Many days, I am paralyzed — haunted by thoughts of my Lauren,
and her last terrifying moments alive.
I can still hear her torturous screams, yelling out:
“Mama! Mama! Help me! Help me!”
She was terrified. Alone. Crying. Pleading.
I envision him standing over her — a cord in his hand, the one with
which he strangled her …
…medical clamps in his other hand — the ones he forced into her
face.
And the broken piece of a ceramic bowl that he cut her with —
cut her so much that her blood seeped through the floorboards and
formed a pool in the basement.
I’ve sought professional help.
I’ve tried medication.
Nothing brings me peace.
He has ruined her brother, Ryan’s life.
Ryan has become quiet, withdrawn, depressed.
He misses his only sibling — his best friend.
He obviously thought my daughter was his.
She wasn’t.
He took her caring, her understanding, her love, her compassion.
He stole her future. He stole her innocence. He stole her passion for
life.
He stole her family, her career, her friends, her dreams.
He stole the children and family she wanted so much one day.
We will never get to plan her wedding.
We will never watch my grandchildren grow up.
He has stolen the rest of my hopes and wishes for Lauren — our
beach days, our Christmases, our birthday celebrations.
Parents are not supposed to bury their children.
But he —
He sat in his comfortable confines for over six long years —
manipulating, twisting, lying, firing, and playing the system that he can manipulate. He is a pathetic coward.
He preys upon the good.
He uses people, then discards them.
Lauren’s plan was to move to Pennsylvania to be with me.
She was excited.
She was happy.
She was looking forward to a new beginning.
She was on the road to practicing her career in criminal justice —
but he decided that was not going to happen, how cruel!
He decided that he would stop Lauren.
He was at her home the night before, screaming and yelling that he
was going to kill her.
And then he did.
On that dark, cold night — March 13, 2019 —
he horrifically tortured, choked, stabbed, and beat my child.
How long did he make her suffer?
How much did she plead and beg for him to stop?
I will never, ever forget trying to hold my Lauren’s tortured, beaten,
lifeless body.
I felt the gashes — the wounds from every horrific strike he forced
upon her.
My Lauren was such a bright light in this world.
My new task, as her mother, is to keep her memory, her story, and
her passions alive.
My biggest fear now is that Lauren will be forgotten —
and that is not an option for me.
He is pathetic.
He will forever be remembered as a coward — evil, low, and
soulless.
He is quite simply an irrelevant piece of human garbage.
I only pray that one day, he receives the pain he forced upon my
child.
May he burn in hell for all eternity.
And I hope that every time his cell door slams shut,
he is haunted by his heinous actions.
Judge Keogh,
We must also remember that on the day of his arraignment for this
crime, in a Kent County courtroom, he looked into the eyes of my
son, a grieving brother, and said to him, YOU’RE NEXT! This animal
can no longer enjoy the freedom of a normal citizen.
I beg you — give this monster before you, life in prison without the
possibility of parole.
In my heart of hearts, I truly believe this disgusting, evil excuse for a
human being would do this again.
He has shown absolutely no sign of remorse, regret, or even
concern.
He accomplished exactly what he wanted.

My name is Paul Ruo and I am Cheryl’s fiancé.
Good morning, everyone
In many ways, the only good thing about this morning…
is that this long, drawn-out, and heinous case…
is finally coming to an end.
We have all been asked to provide a victim impact statement.
As I sat down to collect my thoughts…
reflecting on the impact of these actions over the past six-plus
years…
I realized one thing: it is difficult… impossible… to list them
all.
I want to thank you, Judge Keough, for your firm and steadfast
trial.
You have been a breath of judicial fresh air…
after the stifling, foggy process that has languished for over six
years.
We must also remember this:
none of us would be here today…
if Judge Bucci had not released this man from custody…
when she could have remanded him to prison for literally years
back in March 2019.
Within just eight days of his release…
this horrible murder occurred.
We will forever ask: why was he not held?

Here is what he has done:

First and foremost:
Let me try to explain the sadness…
the mental anguish…
that he has inflicted upon Lauren’s mother… Cheryl.
A woman who was loving… and kind.
She took him in…
and gave him a home.
Still today, six plus years after losing her only daughter…
I still, from time to time, see Cheryl weeping uncontrollably….
When I ask her what’s wrong…
she looks at me and says… “You know…”
And I do.
A deep sadness permeates her heart…
her soul…
and her mind… each and every day…
because of his selfish… heinous… inhuman actions.
She will never be the same woman she once was.
Her life…
and her ability to enjoy happiness…
has been forever blunted by him.

This cruel, premeditated, inhuman murder of Lauren…
Is, at its root…
the ultimate crime of theft.
He stole her life.
he stole her future—her babies, her birthdays, her Christmases…
her friendships… her happy times… her sad times.
And he didn’t just steal these things from Lauren…
he stole them from every person who loved her…
who cared for her…
who was an integral part of her life.
His actions are the quintessential epitome of selfishness…
loathsomeness…
and—most importantly—cowardice.

The true measure of a man…
Is his integrity… his strength…
his bravery when faced with life’s difficulties.
For the past 27 years…
he has been arrested…
convicted…
and sentenced for a broad range of crimes and felonies.
As he has moved in and out of jail…
he has consistently chosen the coward’s way out.

Society has given him countless opportunities to change his life.
And look at what he has done with those opportunities…
It is appalling.
He is a man with no integrity…
no self-respect…
and, most of all… no bravery.
He is a coward.
Only a coward…
would do to Lauren what he did…
in the way that he did.
Even his father—a man who was a hired murderer—would be
ashamed of him.
What does that say?

Not a day passes…
when the impact of his actions is not felt by Cheryl…
her family…
her friends…
and me.
It is ironic that, in Pennsylvania…
the death penalty might have been sought for this crime.
But in a way… that is not a bad thing.

The death penalty would be too easy…
too quick…
for a coward like him.
The only true punishment for his crime…
is for him to waste away in a cell…
for the rest of his life without ANY opportunity for parole.
It is our hope…
that his days are long…
that his days are hard…
and that they are a constant reminder…
of the State that sent him here…
May he eternally be haunted by the screams of her last breaths
on earth…
and the life he stole from Lauren.