Donna Hylton

Donna Hylton
Born (1964-10-29) October 29, 1964
Kingston, Jamaica
Known for Murder of Thomas Vigliarolo
Criminal charge Murder
Criminal penalty 27 years incarceration

Donna Hylton (born October 29, 1964) is a Jamaican-American convicted murderer and activist. Hylton served a 27 year prison sentence in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women (Department Identification Number 86G0206)[1] for her role in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of Thomas Vigliarolo, a Long Island businessman.

In 1985, Hylton and two accomplices drugged and kidnapped 62-year-old Long Island real-estate broker Thomas Vigliarolo, and held him prisoner for 15-20 days. While imprisoned, Vigliarolo was starved, burned, beaten, sexually assaulted, raped and tortured by three men and four women, including Hylton. It was Hylton who delivered a ransom note and tape to a friend of Vigliarolo, leading to her capture.[2]

She was convicted of second degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, and sentenced to 25 years to life, ultimately serving 27 years, after losing appeals. Her involvement in the high-profile case was the subject of a 1995 article in Psychology Today magazine.[2] As noted in the Psychology Today article, when asked about forcibly sodomizing the victim with a three foot steel pole, one of Hylton's accomplices replied: 'He was a homo anyway.'[3] Hylton was released after serving 27 years of her life sentence. Following her release, she earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Mercy College.[4]

Focusing on judicial reform and issues facing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women and girls, she draws a correlation between gender-based violence and sexual abuse as a direct link to the choices, circumstances, and actions which result in incarceration. She has advocated the "humanitarian" release of aging prisoners.[5]

In January 2017, Hylton was a featured speaker at the Women's March on Washington[6][7] which caused much controversy.

In 2016 it was announced that Rosario Dawson was attached to a movie version of Hylton's life story entitled A Little Piece of Light. The film is in development, in search of a screenwriter and director.[8]

References

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