Massachusetts man convicted of killing ex-wife’s husband in Norfolk County granted parole with conditions

A Massachusetts man who was convicted of killing his ex-wife’s husband has been granted parole with conditions.

According to the Massachusetts Parole Board, on June 9, 2000, after a jury trial in Norfolk Superior Court, John Whitney was convicted of second-degree murder in the beating death of 28-year-old Alberto Portal and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Information provided by the Board showed that in December 1997, a 35-year-old Whitney was living in Natick. As a result of a previous marriage, Whitney’s son was being raised in a separate residence by his son’s mother and her husband Alberto Portal. One evening in early December 1997, at approximately the time of night that Portal typically left his home for work, Whitney had a friend drop him off in an area close to Portal’s home. Whitney then planned to meet his friend at a nearby bar shortly thereafter. After Whitney arrived by car, his friend followed him to an Enterprise Rent-a-Car parking lot, where Whitney left the vehicle. Whitney was then driven home by his friend. Unbeknownst to Whitney’s friend, the car that Whitney was driving that evening had belonged to Portal. Portal’s dead body was in the trunk.

Portal and his vehicle were reported missing on December 4, 1997, when he failed to report to work. On March 9, 1998, Portal’s decomposing body was found inside his car at the Enterprise Rent-a-Car parking lot. A subsequent autopsy indicated that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

On the day of the murder, Whitney visited his ex-wife’s home to give her money for their son. Whitney explained that he and Portal had an argument, which escalated into a physical altercation. Whitney stated that he intended to kill Portal, and that his actions constituted murder, not self-defense. When Board Members questioned Whitney as to how he could have been capable of such violence, Whitney replied that he was angry and had been drinking alcohol. Whitney also admitted to being a dishonest, frightened person, who lacked empathy for others at the time. He claims to have lived with guilt since the day of the murder.

Whitney appeared before the Parole Board for a review hearing on January 10, 2023. Whitney was denied parole after his initial hearing in 2013 and after his review hearings in 2016, 2018, and 2021.

In unanimously voting in favor of parole, the Board stated that Whitney has completed ninety-seven programs and has remained sober for twenty-five years. He has demonstrated insight and empathy. He has addressed the precipitants that contributed to his committing the offense. During his twenty-five years of incarceration, he demonstrated overall positive adjustment. The Board also said that Whitney has a strong support system to assist him with a positive reentry.

Conditions of Whitney’s parole include: He must reserve to a long-term residential program but not before completing nine months in lower security; Curfew at PO’s discretion; ELMO-electronic monitoring at PO’s discretion; Supervise for drugs, testing in accordance with agency policy; Supervise for liquor abstinence, testing in accordance with agency policy; Report to assigned MA Parole Office on day of release; No contact or association with Laura Owens; No contact with victim’s family; Must have mental health counseling for adjustment; Continue with SMART recovery.