What happened to Jodie Jakubaszek? Details explored ahead of New York Homicide on Oxygen

Jodie Jakubaszek was the victim of a crime that had been committed in the year 1997. It was reported through New York State Board of Parole documents and media that Jodie was abducted and murdered by three women who belonged to a group, among them Deborah Pretlow. The crime was committed because the victim was carrying the child of Pretlow's boyfriend.

According to parole board reports, the attackers forced Jodie into a vehicle, gagged her, poured chemicals into her mouth, and choked her. This led to the deaths of Jodie and her unborn baby. Three women, one of whom was Deborah Pretlow, were arrested over the case.

The case made headlines when it occurred, partially because of the violence of the offense and the fact that everyone involved was a female perpetrator. Pretlow was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

In her testimony before the New York State Senate, she was denied parole on several occasions, and she had publicly addressed the part she played in the crime and her efforts to reform while in prison.

The murder of Jodie Jakubaszek will be profiled on New York Homicide on Oxygen on May 24, 2025.

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Jodie Jakubaszek's murder

The crime was committed on June 3, 1997. Jodie Jakubaszek, who was pregnant at the time, had reportedly been involved with the same man as Deborah Pretlow. Parole board records indicated that Pretlow masterminded the crime. She and her co-conspirators had planned and carried out the kidnapping and homicide.

They tricked Jodie Jakubaszek into a car where she was gagged and forced to swallow poisonous chemicals. She was then smothered. Both she and the child in her womb lost their lives. The crime scene was in Brooklyn, New York, and soon caught the attention of local police and the media.

The crime was soon attributed to Deborah Pretlow and two other women by investigators. New York Daily News reports indicated that the motive for the murder was jealousy and control because Jodie Jakubaszek's affiliation with Pretlow's boyfriend was a leading cause of the attack.

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Arrest and legal proceedings

Shortly after committing the crime, the police apprehended the three suspects. Pretlow was charged with numerous offenses, including kidnapping, robbery, and first-degree manslaughter. She was eventually convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Court records and parole board documents showed that Pretlow took responsibility for her offense during her testimony before the New York State Senate. She told them that the crime was not an accident but a conscious choice.

Pretlow had made repeated attempts at parole over the years, but her bids were rejected numerous times. The parole board mentioned that she had not proved she understood the crime and questioned whether she could be trusted not to reoffend after leaving custody. These were done despite her low-risk ratings on the COMPAS risk assessment system, which evaluates a person's chances of reoffending.

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Current Status and Continuing Influence

Deborah Pretlow is no longer behind bars and has been released from prison after serving around 26 years of a 25-years-to-life sentence for kidnapping, robbery, and first-degree manslaughter, as per a social media post by Parole Preparation Project.

As per the NYS Senate, she spent her time behind bars at facilities such as Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, where she involved herself in extensive rehabilitation, finished academic courses, and worked on community service and special projects.

Despite being turned down for parole several times, she has always accepted full responsibility for her crimes and shown personal growth, as testified before the New York State Senate in December 2022. Pretlow's release was hailed by advocacy groups like the Parole Preparation Project, which welcomed her home in late 2023.

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To learn more about the killing of Jodie Jakubaszek, catch New York Homicide on Oxygen on May 24, 2025.