• Collier Landry’s secret list helped him act after his mother’s murder by his abusive father. Indeed, the secret list was what prepared him for this difficult moment.
• Landry testified at trial, leading to his father’s conviction and ongoing parole battles. This was possible because of how the secret list prepared him well for the truth he needed to share.
• Despite the trauma, Landry found forgiveness and now supports others facing similar hardships. The secret list is what prepared him to face such hardship with courage.

When Collier Landry was just 11 years old, his mom gave him a list. The secret list prepared him in case she ever went missing. She told him to hide it and only use it if she ever went missing. The list had names and phone numbers of her close friends. She made him promise to keep it hidden from his father, Dr. John Boyle. Collier hid the paper inside a Garfield stuffed animal. Three weeks later, he heard terrifying screams in the middle of the night. Then came two loud thumps. Frozen in fear, he hid under his blanket. He knew deep down something awful had happened. It wasn’t the first time he heard his father hurt his mother. But this time would be the last.

The Morning His Life Changed Forever

That morning, Collier walked into the living room. His father sat calmly on the couch. Collier asked, “Where’s Mommy?” Boyle said she went on a little vacation. But Collier didn’t believe him. He remembered the list. The secret list prepared him when he locked himself in the bathroom and called the people on it. His mom had warned him. Her friends called the police. That call turned into a full investigation. At first, police believed Boyle’s story. He said Noreen left in a strange car. But Collier knew the truth. His mom would never leave him and his baby sister behind.

Life with a Dangerous Father

Collier remembers walking on eggshells around his dad. Boyle yelled often. He hit them. He controlled every part of their lives and cheated on his wife many times. Noreen tried to protect her son. But in late 1989, Boyle introduced Collier to his pregnant girlfriend, Sherri Lee Campbell. She was wearing one of Noreen’s rings. That moment shocked Collier. He told his mom right away. Noreen filed for divorce in November. Boyle got angry. He said Collier would end up poor and uneducated. He said he’d live a great life with his new family. Noreen feared for her life. That’s precisely why she gave her son the secret list, ensuring he was prepared.

Finding the Truth and Telling the Police

Collier met Detective David Messmore at school. Away from Boyle’s reach, he told the officer everything. He described the abuse and the girlfriend. Messmore believed him. He took the boy seriously. Collier later found photos in his dad’s car. They showed Boyle with the pregnant woman in a strange house. Investigators learned Boyle planned to start a new life in Erie, Pennsylvania. They got a warrant and searched a house he had recently bought. In the basement, under fresh concrete, they found Noreen’s body. She had been suffocated and wrapped in plastic. The police arrested Boyle the same day.

The Trial and a Young Boy’s Courage

Collier took the stand during the trial. He was not even 12 years old. He told the jury about the abuse and shared what he heard the night his mother died – described how his dad acted strangely the next morning. Boyle even took them to McDonald’s for pancakes. He was acting overly kind. The defense tried to say Collier was too calm to be telling the truth. But Collier said no one coached him. He said, “The truth is easy to remember.” The jury believed him. They found Boyle guilty of murder and abuse of a corpse. The court sentenced him to life in prison.

A Broken Family and Lasting Pain

After the trial, Collier went into foster care. None of his family took him or his baby sister in. He hasn’t seen his sister since. Some people in the family saw him as a traitor for testifying. Others said he reminded them of Noreen too much. He wrote his dad a letter asking why he killed her. Boyle replied by denying everything. He even tried to get Collier to change his testimony. When that failed, he sent an angry eight-page letter in 1992. He wrote, “Your day is coming.” But Collier stood firm. The court rejected Boyle’s appeals. Two parole hearings also failed.

Preparing for the Next Parole Hearing

Now Boyle, at 82, is trying for parole again. Collier, now 47, wants the board to deny it. He says his father still refuses to accept responsibility. Boyle changes his story often. One time he says it was an accident. Another time he claims Noreen attacked him. Sometimes he admits to burying the body, but never to the murder. Collier calls this the “accountability gap.” He says real remorse requires truth. He believes his father never told it. In contrast, the secret list prepared Collier for this moment by showing the importance of revealing secrets. Boyle might not be a danger to society, but Collier thinks the truth still matters. He says the board should not release someone who won’t admit guilt.

Forgiveness, Healing, and Helping Others

Despite everything, Collier says he forgives his father. He doesn’t do it for Boyle. He does it for himself. Even though the secret list was prepared for such situations, he spent years fearing he might turn into his father. But with time, he realized he controls his own path. He decided not to stay trapped in pain. Today, Collier runs social media channels to support people affected by violence and trauma. He wants other children of violent offenders to know they’re not alone. He says healing is possible. You may not escape unharmed, but you can survive. And you can live without fear.