Words of thanks from John Spirko

I would also like to thank my good friend and Buddy Karen E. Richey. She has been such a life saver to my wife and I,she has been working day and night and I also wonder if she ever takes the time to sleep. I don't know if Karen will read this or not, but I want to thank her for her support, her love, and

her deep commitment to truth and justice, Karen, I thank you from the very depth of my heart and soul for all you have done for me and all the long hours you have sat and typed up a huge mountain of papers in my behalf.

Thank you so very much and much love and respect to you as well from Tracy and I.

On the morning of January 3rd, I was still asleep having sat up most of the night with a huge headache and a heavy heart, so I slept late that morning. At about 9am, four (4) guards came to my cell and I was awakened my the sound of the handcuffs being clicked together like these ding bats do here all the

time.

Then I heard a guard call my name and tell me to get dressed that I had an attorney phone call. So I got up, hurried and washed my face, tried to use a little scope for my breath, and I combed my hair and dressed and left the cell and they handcuffed me, then shackled my ankles and off we went down the hallway to the case worker?s office.

As I came closer to the case workers office I noticed a lot of activity by his office door, more guards are standing around and also a nurse.

The case worker, Mr. Nowack, a young kid who still amazes me when I look at him, because he looks like he should still be in high school. He steps up to me as the guards are taking the handcuffs off my wrists and tells me, ?I just had a phone call from your wife?. As soon as he says that my heart beats faster because I'm thinking in that split second of time that something has happened to Tracy , then he asks me, ?have you heard the news??

I said, ?Mr. Nowack, I just was awakened from a deep sleep, I have not heard anything, what news, what is going on? ?

And he says, ?well maybe I should let your attorneys tell you I think that is why they are calling.?

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I say, ?Mr. Nowack, quit playing games with me, if you know something then tell me.?

He says, ?your wife called and said you will be getting a six (6) month stay of execution.?

I said, ?What??

He looks at me and laughs as he tells me that he also heard the same thing as he was coming to work this morning on the radio.

Before he can say anything else, the phone rings, it is my attorneys. As I pick up the receiver my heart is racing so fast and pounding so hard, then I hear my attorneys voice.

?John, we got word that Petro [ Attorney General of Ohio ] has asked for a six (6) month stay of execution because the Lab has found numerous hairs on the duct tape that was wrapped around the

victims body.?

I said ?What? They found Hairs??

My heart is pounding even more, because I realize deep within me that the finding of hair's would be the best possible news and as my attorney continues to talk and tell me what was going on, I feel this deep sense of relief, I mean the kind of relief

that just makes you breath so easy and then you feel this huge smile coming on because you know,...you KNOW deep down that this nightmare is about over and you can-nearly feel and taste the sweet taste of FREEDOM.

When the phone call from my attorneys is over, I just sit there in silence for a moment, just me and that phone, I'm looking at it and still wondering if what I just heard is what I just

heard.

I have dreamed of this moment for so long, 23 years of pain, misery, loneliness. 23 years of protesting my Innocence to anyone that would or wanted to listen me, seeing that "LOOK? on people's faces when I tell them I'm Innocent.. Seeing that look of disbelief. Sitting there looking at that phone and just trying to catch my breath because just a few hour's ago I was sitting in my cell, couldn't sleep, couldn't get rid of that headache I had no matter what I did, and just a few short hours ago, I was wondering how my last visits here would go and who

would be able to make it down to see me for the last time.

I feel this huge overwhelming wall of emotion trying to over take me in that phone room, I tell myself, ?be strong, don't let the tears fall? ...too late. They are running down my cheeks and I feel so thankful, I feel like all the prayers that have

been going up to the throne for me have been answered in such a big way. I thank God sitting in that room.

I try and wipe my eye's and pull myself together, I'm supposed to be a tough guy, at least that is what I tell myself.

I hurry and unplug the phone and bang on the door to have the case worker take me back to my pod so I can try and call Tracy .

It is exactly 10:30 am , and Nowack says I won't make it back in time because of count, so he tells me he will let me call Tracy ,from the phone in his office.

I call Tracy and we both feel this relief. I hear it in her voice and we are both so happy.

Tracy doesn't seem to realize the depth of this DNA evidence and what it means.

But I do, my mind is racing to remember the coroner's report about the victim, was the tape binding her body or was it binding the tarp only?

Tracy and I talk for about 10 minutes and then I go back to my cell. I read the reports on how the victim was found, No, the duct tape did not touch her skin, it was wrapped around the tarp that her body was in, this means one thing...Those hairs, they belong to the killer or killer's. They realize this as well, whoever was taping that body up had to have that tape touch them at some point and there are many hairs as well, just like when

some one has sticky glue on them. That duct tape is the same way.

I know the hairs are not mine, I know they don't belong to Gibson or anyone that I know, and I know that this is the end of the nightmare.

As things happen I will update everyone about once a week, but

again, I would like to thank all of you who supported and gave

both Tracy and I comfort and love, and understanding in our

hour of need, I would like to thank all of you who have prayed

and lifted us both up to the throne of God himself, and I just

feel so thankful right now, knowing that there are so many

good and caring people out there who would help carry this huge

burden that Tracy and I have been carrying for a long time, thank you all and I hope that one day. One wonderful day in the very near future I can get on that Internet myself and thank all of you and also help you in anyway that I could.

Thank you for your love and support.

Love And Respect Always

John & Tracy Spirko.

See www.johnspirko.com for John's compelling case of innocence