My Story
In the summer of 2004 I received a call from O'Leary, who asked to meet with my husband and me. My heart started to race. During the meeting he told us about a man who had attacked a 21 year-old co-worker in the Overlook section of Waterbury, the same area where we lived at the time of the crime. Luckily she was able to break-free and run from the attacker. She called the police and an arrest was imminent. Her attacker's name was John Regan. Neil asked if we knew him; John said he had known him since kindergarten and considered him a good friend. Regan had even helped re-shingle our garage roof a couple of years before the attack, and we had him, his wife and his children over for dinner to reciprocate the favor. My husband said with confidence that there was no way Regan could do something as horrific as the attack on me. Neil said that he was probably right, but it was a real long shot he had to ask about and look into.
At the time of John Regan's arrest for attempted sexual assault on the 21 year-old girl, Neil asked him if he would agree to have a DNA sample taken. Regan agreed. On October 22, 2004, my husband and I were called down to Neil's office where he told us Regan's DNA matched that of the perpetrator in my case. I began to tremble uncontrollably as emotions ran from shock to gratitude to betrayal to relief to sadness. After 11 years - and with nothing to go on but DNA evidence - we knew who committed the crime. It was incredible. John was overcome with anger and betrayal that someone he trusted and cared about could be so hurtful to his family. Regan, who was free and awaiting trial on the case involving his 21 year-old coworker, was arrested at his place of employment without incident. Since the statute of limitations on sexual assault had run out in my case, he was charged with kidnapping. Regan pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and was set free on $350,000 bond.
Regan strikes again
The months that followed were riddled with anxiety. I no longer had to wonder who the perpetrator was, but I feared what would happen if my husband ran into him. Would John be able to control himself? It was almost too much to ask. Then, on Halloween night 2005, Regan struck again. He was in Saratoga Springs, New York, lurking in the parking lot of the local high school, waiting for his victim to finish practice. As a 17 year-old cross-country track star walked toward her car in the parking lot, Regan grabbed her about the mouth and torso and tried to pull her into his van where the backseat had been taken out and inside lay a tarp, noose and shovel. She bit, screamed and kicked. Bracing one foot against his van, she used the leverage to break free.
Thankfully, the girl's track coaches witnessed the attack, ran to her aid and kept Regan at bay until the police arrived. The van also contained a camera, and film with pictures of unsuspecting women. Regan was arrested for attempted kidnapping and although he had no prior record, the Saratoga police would soon discover the pending cases in Connecticut. This time there would be no bond. He was finally behind bars. On November 3, 2005 - Regan's 49th birthday - he unsuccessfully tried to hang himself in his jail cell using his bed sheets. On July 14, 2006, John Regan plead guilty for attempted kidnapping in New York and was sentenced to 12 years in state prison. On October 26, 2006, John Regan pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine to kidnapping in Connecticut for my case and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sentence will be served concurrently with his New York sentence.
Learn how this experience motivated Donna to start Jane Doe No More.
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As a 17 year-old cross-country track star walked toward her car in the parking lot, Regan grabbed her about the mouth and torso and tried to pull her into his van where the backseat had been taken out and inside lay a tarp, noose and shovel.
