Ray Woods

Ray Woods Case

UPDATE: Although we successfully stopped Ray Wood’s parole several times, the Ohio Parole Board granted Woods parole and released him on January 24, 2020. Per Roberta’s Law he will be under supervision for five years. We continue to believe Woods’ release places an incredible risk to the community. We thank everyone who submitted a petition to keep Ray Woods in prison.

A Horrible Crime and A Life Sentence

On July 1, 1975, Ray Woods’ 17-year-old sister-in-law was driving to work in Woods’ car. Woods flagged her down to get a ride. Woods told her he needed a ride to a North Side apartment complex to look for a job. On the way, Woods stated he changed his mind and said he wanted to meet a friend at Alum Creek Park.

After arriving at the park, Woods got out of the car and approached the victim with a steak knife in his hand. Woods told the victim he was going to rape her and forced her out of the car. Woods took the victim to a secluded area and assaulted her and raped her at knife point. Woods then stabbed the victim “about a dozen times,” according to police. She was stabbed in the arm, back, chest and neck. Woods left the victim for dead and fled the scene.

Although she was bleeding to death, the victim somehow managed to crawl to the road, where a passing policeman found her. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where she remained in critical condition. Woods was arrested later that day. Although critically wounded, the victim managed to survive.

A jury convicted Woods on all counts. He was convicted of Attempted Murder, Rape and Kidnapping. Woods received a 10-50 year sentence for his horrific crimes. He also was adjudicated a sexual predator, which indicates he is highly likely to commit another sex-related crime.

Six Unsuccessful Parole Attempts

Although Woods had taken no classes to address his criminal behavior, he somehow was paroled in 1988 after serving only 13 years of his 50-year sentence. Woods was soon brought back to prison for violating his parole. He was subsequently paroled in 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2007. Each time, he violated parole and was re-incarcerated within a year of being released. Woods’ numerous parole violations included being arrested for failing to register as a sex offender, multiple drug infractions (including using cocaine and crack cocaine), failing to report to his parole officer, and failing to attend a mandatory sex offender program.

Although Woods has been brought back SIX times for parole violations, he continues to avoid taking classes to address his criminal behavior. Woods has not even received his GED, the equivalent of a high school diploma. Woods was actually terminated from that program in 2004. In order to obtain his seventh release, Woods now claims he has a bleeding ulcer and cannot drink any longer. He says this somehow will allow him to quit using drugs. How this aids in correcting his multiple other infractions is unknown.

In the Ohio Parole Board’s 2010 decision to parole Woods, they stated, “He [Woods] has good conduct since his return BUT NO NEW CLASSES.” A few sentences, later they state one of the main reasons Woods is suitable for parole is because “Offender indicates his motivation to complete parole successfully.” How can one be motivated to succeed when they refuse to take any classes to rehabilitate themselves?

No Parole

Ray Woods is a child rapist and attempted child murderer. The legal system has also adjudicated him a sexual predator, the most dangerous of all sex offenders. Woods has been given six opportunities to turn his life around and has failed every time. Each time he was paroled he was brought back for serious parole violations. Ray Woods has done almost nothing to improve himself while in prison. He continues to demonstrate that he is not suitable to be released into society. Releasing Woods for a seventh time would demean the serious nature of his crimes and would endanger the lives of all citizens. Based on the violent nature of his crimes and the fact Woods has been paroled and brought back to prison six times, we strongly believe Mr. Woods should serve the maximum sentence of 50 years that was given to him for his brutal, violent crimes.