AUBURN, Mass. — More than four decades after Massachusetts State Police Trooper George Hanna was shot and killed in the line of duty, his family says they are still fighting for justice after a landmark court ruling made his convicted killer eligible for parole.
Hanna was killed during a traffic stop in Auburn on Feb. 26, 1983. His daughters, Debbie and Kim Hanna, were just 13 and 14 years old when their father was killed.
“I remember, like it was yesterday,” Debbie Hanna told 25 Investigates’ Kerry Kavanaugh. “He put on his uniform. I walked him out to his cruiser, and I watched him drive up the hill. And that was the last time I saw him.”
Jose Colon, who was 20 years old at the time of the shooting, was convicted of Hanna’s murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Yeah, we thought that’s where he would stay,” Kim Hanna said.
That changed in 2024 when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued what is known as the Mattis decision, which held that individuals who committed crimes between the ages of 18 and 20 — often referred to as “emerging adults” — cannot be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The ruling was based on scientific research cited by the court indicating that the brains of 18-to-20-year-olds are still developing. As a result, many inmates who were previously serving life sentences without parole became eligible for parole hearings, including Colon.
The Hanna family said learning Colon would be eligible for parole reopened decades-old wounds.
“When you get the letter that states we have this law, these individuals are now eligible for parole, what went through your mind?” Kerry Kavanaugh asked Debbie Hanna.
“It’s the trauma; it’s brought up the PTSD. I don’t sleep,” Hanna said. I’m not the same person I was two years ago."
Colon appeared before the Massachusetts Parole Board in January.
“I am deeply sad and remorseful,” Colon said during the hearing.
Kim Hanna said attending the hearing was devastating.
“And he stood 10 feet from us, and we had to hear the whole of that night. And it was devastating,” she said.
The Parole Board ultimately denied Colon’s request for release. However, he will be eligible for another parole hearing three years after his first appearance before the board.
“And this is re-victimizing us as a family. We’re paying the price. They’re rewarding a murderer,” Debbie Hanna said.
The Hanna family has since turned its attention to changing state law.
Kim Hanna said she believes families should not be forced to repeatedly relive the crimes that took their loved ones.
“So, get your chance and if not, give the families peace. Give the families peace to move forward and not have to relive that,” she said.
The family is working with state legislators on proposed legislation that would apply to individuals who became parole-eligible under the Mattis ruling. Under the proposal, those offenders would receive one parole hearing rather than repeated hearings after a denial. The legislation is in draft form right now.
“Our police officers put on their uniform knowing that they could end up like my father,” Debbie Hanna said. “So, we have to protect them.” “The Hanna family was promised that they would never see the light of day again. And now look where we are.”
25 Investigates reached out to the Committee for Public Counsel Services, which represented Colon during his parole hearing. The committee said: “Massachusetts’ highest court concluded that life without parole is an unconstitutional sentence for people convicted of first-degree murder when they were 18, 19 or 20 at the time of the crime. That decision did not guarantee release - a common misconception that has caused confusion as to what parole is. The decision provides the opportunity for the Parole Board to scrutinize the person’s life and crime, their institutional records, assessments of risk, and many other factors. Parole, when granted, is done with societal welfare as a central consideration. We have not seen a draft of the bill , so it would be premature for us to discuss it.”
Colon has served more than four decades behind bars. He’s now 63 years old.
“That is not enough time. The dead cannot speak for themselves in that courtroom. Only the victims’ families can speak,” Debbie Hanna said. “We have to live with this for the rest of our lives.”
Since Hanna’s death, the annual George L. Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery have become the highest honor awarded to Massachusetts law enforcement officers for acts that go above and beyond the call of duty.
Massachusetts parole reconsideration hearings may be scheduled from one to five years after a denial. Colon’s next hearing was set for three years following the board’s decision. The board would not comment on individual cases.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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