John Grega

John Grega* was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of the brutal rape and strangling of his wife Christine during a vacation to Dover, Vermont, in 1994. Christine had been found naked and strangled inside their condominium bathroom during an intense family vacation that had taken them away from Dover for the day.

DNA testing recently led a judge to overturn Grega’s conviction. Now, he is on track to win his lawsuit alleging the state wrongfully prosecuted him.

Early Life and Education

John Grega and his wife Christine were vacationing with their 2-year-old son in Dover, Vermont when Christine was violently raped, sodomized, and strangled to death in their condo on September 12, 1994. As the family watched helplessly as John committed the act of murder upon them, Christine could only remember what it felt like to lose her.

After a protracted trial, he was found guilty of murdering Christine and sentenced to life imprisonment. Subsequently, he filed a federal lawsuit against Pettengill, Davis and the town of Dover alleging they fabricated evidence in violation of his due process right to a fair trial.

Grega filed this suit alleging various injuries caused by the defendants’ alleged actions, such as seventeen years of wrongful imprisonment and a damaged relationship with his son. He seeks both compensatory and punitive damages in exchange for their alleged wrongdoings.

Professional Career

John Grega has achieved great success in various sports such as motocross, ice bike racing and snowmobile drags throughout his career. In each discipline he has won multiple championships.

He had an extensive career in auto racing, boasting 25 years of experience and winning more than 200 feature races at Berlin Raceway and other race tracks.

Last year, Grega finally prevailed in his eight-year battle against Vermont and was exonerated through DNA evidence. Subsequently, he filed a lawsuit against the state for wrongful conviction.

Achievements and Honors

John grega has achieved many remarkable successes over the years, such as winning the iconic Winston Motor Speedway race. Additionally, he has won over two hundred feature events and broken several track records along the way.

He has earned numerous honors for his teaching, research and service to Penn State Hazleton. Additionally, he was instrumental in setting up the School of Health and Human Performance there as well as serving on the Advisory Committee to the President and Academic Affairs Council executive committees. Most recently he was named Faculty Senator for his advocacy on behalf of faculty members and students alike. Beyond these accomplishments on campus at Penn State Hazleton, he is an acclaimed author and speaker.

Personal Life

Grega was convicted in 1994 of the sexual assault and death of his wife Christine. After serving nearly 18 years in prison, DNA evidence convinced a judge to overturn his conviction.

His trial was solely based on circumstantial evidence, such as conflicting statements to police and admissions that some of his wife’s injuries were due to rough sex she had with him before she passed away.

He was released from prison in August 2012 after DNA evidence excluded him as the source of cells from an unknown man found on his wife’s body. This marked the first time a Vermont felony conviction had been overturned by fresh DNA testing.

On Wednesday, the state of Vermont announced that it has dropped all charges against Grega in connection with the murder of his wife. He had been serving life without parole in prison for this crime.