Alabama man discovered not responsible of murdering woman, 11, in 35-year-old chilly case | EUROtoday

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A jury has discovered an Alabama man not responsible of killing an 11-year woman greater than 35 years in the past.

The sufferer, Melissa Ann Tremblay, had accompanied her mom and her mom’s boyfriend to a Lawrence social membership not removed from the railyard and went outdoors to play whereas the adults stayed inside, authorities mentioned final yr.

She was reported lacking later that night time.

The case got here down as to whether the jury believed DNA discovered beneath Ann Tremblay’s fingernails was from Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr. After telling a choose Monday they have been deadlocked, the jury returned on Tuesday and located McClendon not responsible on the sixth day of deliberations.

“Mr. McClendon was greatly relieved by the verdict,” McClendon’s lawyer, Henry Fasoldt, instructed The Associated Press, including that he would return house to Alabama after being held for two-and-a-half years. “We appreciate the jury’s careful and thoughtful deliberations.”

Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker mentioned he “disappointed with the verdict” however praised the efforts of prosecutors and regulation enforcement officers within the case.

“I recognize the work and dedication of the jury during their long deliberations in this case,” Tucker said. “My thoughts are with the family of Melissa Ann Tremblay, who have suffered greatly due to the crime that took her life.”

Last yr, a choose declared a mistrial in McClendon’s prosecution after a jury impasse. The physique of the Salem, New Hampshire, woman was present in a Lawrence, Massachusetts, trainyard on Sept. 12, 1988, a day after she was reported lacking.

The woman’s mom, Janet Tremblay, died in 2015 at age 70, in accordance with her obituary. But surviving kin have been attending court docket to watch the most recent trial.

After initially ruling out a number of suspects, together with two drug addicts, early on, authorities turned their consideration to McClendon.

He was arrested at his Alabama house in 2022 primarily based partly on DNA proof.

Essex County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Strasnick instructed the jury that feedback McClendon made throughout his arrest confirmed he knew particulars of the crime and that he was “fixated on the fact that she was beaten, ladies and gentlemen, because he knew that she wasn’t just stabbed that day, that was she was beaten.”

A left-handed particular person like McClendon stabbed Tremblay, Strasnick mentioned. She instructed jurors that the carpenter and former Massachusetts corrections officer was acquainted with Lawrence, having frequented bars and strip golf equipment within the metropolis. He additionally lived lower than 20 miles (32 kilometers) away on the time of the killing.

Strasnick instructed the jury that the DNA proof taken from beneath Tremblay’s fingernails excludes 99.8% of the male inhabitants.

But Fasoldt mentioned there was no proof the DNA got here from beneath Tremblay’s fingernails or was from McClendon.

Fasoldt additionally mentioned proof exhibits {that a} right-handed particular person, somewhat than a left-handed particular person, may have stabbed Tremblay.

He additionally argued that McClendon had “no meaningful connection” to Lawrence — aside from that he lived 16 miles (25 kilometers) away in Chelmsford. He moved to Alabama in 2002 to a plot of land his household owned.