A chilling connection has emerged as a jury weighs the possibility of early parole for Nicole Puddicombe, the woman convicted of brutally murdering her boyfriend. The details withheld from the court paint a disturbing picture of her current relationship – one forged behind bars with a fellow killer.
While the jury deliberates, they remain unaware of the dark history of Puddicombe’s new companion: Rainbow Hill, a convicted second-degree murderer. Hill’s crime wasn’t a crime of passion, but a horrific act of abuse culminating in the death of two-year-old Marissa Whalen in 2011.
Marissa endured months of relentless torment. Force-fed, repeatedly slapped, and violently thrown against walls, the toddler’s injuries were deliberately concealed. The brutality escalated on a July day when, enraged by a soiled diaper, Hill kicked Marissa, then threw her into a bathtub, causing fatal injuries.
The small body lay undiscovered for months, buried in a distant community while a desperate search began. Hill eventually confessed, pleading guilty to second-degree murder and receiving a life sentence. A brief period of day parole was revoked due to unacceptable behavior, yet she remained a threat.
Puddicombe and Hill first met within the walls of Grand Valley Institution for Women. Puddicombe, serving a life sentence for the axe murder of her boyfriend Dennis Hoy in 2006, initially maintained she was in the shower during the attack. Now, she claims her girlfriend, Ashleigh Pechaluk, orchestrated the murder, and she participated out of desperation within a troubled love triangle.
Pechaluk was acquitted, steadfastly denying any involvement in Hoy’s brutal death. The jury deciding Puddicombe’s fate must unanimously agree if she deserves a chance at early parole, or determine when she can next seek it – a decision carrying immense weight.
The Crown attorney warned the jury that Puddicombe remains a danger, highlighting her new relationship. However, the full extent of Hill’s past – the agonizing abuse and tragic death of a defenseless child – was deliberately kept from them.
Their connection blossomed within prison walls, even leading to a period where they were allowed to share a room. Though later separated when Puddicombe was moved to minimum security, the bond remains, raising terrifying questions about what could happen if both women are ever released.
The jury’s decision will determine not only Puddicombe’s future, but potentially the safety of the public, given the dangerous alliance she has forged with another convicted killer.
