Defendants
Lance “Ninja” Booker – convicted of murder & conspiracy; LWOP
Michael “Murder” Hoffler – murder conviction overturned on a technicality; scheduled for retrial this year
Gregory Heckstall – convicted of murder & consipiracy; LWOP
Lance Booker sentenced to life in prison
Heckstall sentenced to life
Hoffler is found guilty
Michael Hoffler sentenced
New York (almost to the bottom of the page)
Killer’s wife to appear on reality show
The Hoffler Trials
Heffler appeal
Heckstall appeal
Booker appeal
Prosecutor Michael McDermott to handle re-trial of Michael “Murder” Hoffler
Retrial of convicted murderer on hold
Movies/Documentaries
Prison Wives: Pam Booker (This episode is NOT about the murder but about the “love story” between Lance Booker [one of the convicted killers] and his wife Pam. From the commercials, it is glamorizing these people in prison and their relationships, but basically ignoring that some of the inmates are in for murder. They will not (in my opinion) be showing any sympathy or compassion towards the victims or their families. In fact, will they even talk to them? Why are they trying to get sympathy for murderers?)
INMATE INFORMTATION: Michael Hoffler
As of 02/24/10 DIN (Department Identification Number) 04A1204
Inmate Name HOFFLER, MICHAEL
Sex MALE
Date of Birth 11/10/1979
Race / Ethnicity BLACK
Custody Status IN CUSTODY
Housing Releasing Facility GREAT MEADOW
Date Received (Original) 03/03/2004
Date Received (Current) 03/03/2004
Admission Type NEW COMMITMENT
County of Commitment ALBANY
Latest Release Date / Type (Released Inmates Only)
Crime Class
CRIM POSS CONTR SUBSTANCE 3RD B
ATT CRIM SALE CONTR SUBSTANCE 3RD C
CRIM POSS CONTR SUBSTANCE 5TH D
CRIM SALE CONTR SUBSTANCE 3RD B
Aggregate Minimum Sentence 015 Years, 00 Months, 00 Days
Aggregate Maximum Sentence 030 Years, 00 Months, 00 Days
Earliest Release Date 02/21/2019
Earliest Release Type PAROLE ELIGIBILITY DATE
Parole Hearing Date 10/2013
Parole Hearing Type SUPP. MERIT RELEASE APPEARANCE
Parole Eligibility Date 02/21/2019
Conditional Release Date 02/21/2024
Maximum Expiration Date 02/21/2034
INMATE INFORMATION: Lance Booker
Identifying and Location Information
As of 02/24/10 DIN (Department Identification Number) 05A0049
Inmate Name BOOKER, LANCE
Sex MALE
Date of Birth 12/06/1965
Race / Ethnicity BLACK
Custody Status IN CUSTODY
Housing Releasing Facility CLINTON
Date Received (Original) 01/06/2005
Date Received (Current) 01/06/2005
Admission Type NEW COMMITMENT
County of Commitment RENSSELAER
Crime Class
MURDER 1ST A1
CONSPIRACY 2ND B
Aggregate Minimum Sentence LIFE Years, 99 Months, 99 Days
Aggregate Maximum Sentence LIFE Years, 99 Months, 99 Days
Earliest Release Date LIFE
Earliest Release Type
Parole Hearing Date 99/9999
Parole Hearing Type FULL MAXIMUM
Parole Eligibility Date 99/99/9999
Conditional Release Date NONE
Maximum Expiration Date LIFE
INMATE INFORMATION: Gregory Heckstall
DIN (Department Identification Number) 05A1755
Inmate Name HECKSTALL, GREGORY
Sex MALE
Date of Birth 04/15/1966
Race / Ethnicity BLACK
Custody Status IN CUSTODY
Housing Releasing Facility ATTICA
Date Received (Original) 04/12/2005
Date Received (Current) 04/12/2005
Admission Type NEW COMMITMENT
County of Commitment RENSSELAER
I just don’t understand why Lance Booker got life 2 life sentences when he didn’t pull the trigger. I understand that he was under the influence and in a very confused state and tired state of mine. I think that the person who physically pulled the trigger and killed Drabik should get life and not the person who conspired too. Trust me I’m not saying he’s innocent but come on… at least give him a possibility for parole or give him like 50 years or something and some high stakes rehab.
Thanks,
Christopher Ayers
Attending Harvard Law
By: Chris Ayers on July 19, 2010
at 11:33 am
The law is very clear on this matter. Anyone involved in a crime where a victim dies, all are held accountable for the homicide, not just the person who pulls the trigger. If this is Lance’s only appeal point, he is going to be in prison a very long time.
By: John on December 6, 2010
at 1:31 pm
Lance Booker has an addiction. Once an addict always an addict. Addiction is a neurologically based disease. For many years recovery specialists have compared alcoholism or addictions to a physical disease: like diabetes. In reality addictions are more closely related to a neurological disorder like Tourette’s Syndrome* than they are to diabetes.
If the problem someone suffers stem from severe alcoholism or addiction, you must accept that these problems are not primarily mental or free will issues. Addictions are not about will power. The problems facing addicts, alcoholics, and their families are miserable, disgusting, and infuriating. They are often hopelessly discouraging. But to imagine that an addict “could change if he wanted to” is a serious misunderstanding of the long term dynamic of addictive disorder. The fact is precisely that an addict cannot change in the long run even if he wants to! That is the definition of addiction: “the loss of control over the use of a substance.” It is important to understand that this loss of control is manifested not in terms of days or weeks, but in longer term behaviors: terms of months and years.
The reason addicts have lost control is because they have suffered permanent physical neurological changes based in their brains and nervous systems. The disorder manifests in long term obsessive-compulsive behaviors outside the realm of the addicts own control. It is true enough that the use of chemicals begins with chosen behavior. But if alcoholism or addiction develops, the problem has moved outside the realm of free choice. It has developed into a long term mental and physical neurological disorder. All the emotional ‘feelings’ involved in drug or alcohol seeking are based in neurology. Addiction is based in physical dependency created by altered neurotransmitter balances, and driven by millions upon millions of new living, functioning active neurological pathways which have been established to sustain the condition in the addicts brain. The new neurological pathways are permanently established, and they will not just disappear. The primary neurological disorder is only complicated by physical dependence on the substances. The physical dependence on the substances is secondary! Physical drug withdrawal does not change the underlying neurological addictive disorder. After drug withdrawal, long term overpowering cravings are predictable. These cravings are, in reality, spontaneous nerve impulses. Even in the longer term, overwhelming cravings are outside the addicts control. We must target recovery for people who have an addictive disorder. Should Lance Booker spend the rest of his life in prison. Yes that seems to be the way this story ends. It’s very sad with no winners. This makes no excuses, just an explaination of what addiction can lead to left untreated.
By: Skittles35 on October 11, 2011
at 3:49 pm
Chances are the reason he got life is because of his is past having been in prison 3 seperate times prior to this past conviction. At the time their was the 3 strikes law in effect.
By: amber on January 12, 2012
at 8:54 pm