In Lawrence, Massachusetts, a jury began its deliberations on Monday regarding an Alabama man, Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr., who is charged with the murder of an 11-year-old girl from New Hampshire over 35 years ago. This case draws attention to the DNA evidence found under the fingernails of Melissa Ann Tremblay, which is a crucial element for the jury to consider in deciding McClendon’s guilt or innocence.
This is McClendon’s second trial for the murder, as the first ended in a mistrial last year due to the jury’s inability to reach a unanimous decision. Tremblay’s body was discovered on September 12, 1988, in a trainyard in Lawrence, just a day after she had gone missing. Authorities reported that she had been stabbed in the neck.
On the day she went missing, Tremblay was with her mother and her mother’s partner at a social club in Lawrence. While the adults remained inside, she played outdoors, but failed to return. Her mother, Janet Tremblay, passed away in 2015, yet family members continue to participate in the trial proceedings for justice on behalf of the young victim.
Initially, the investigation ruled out multiple suspects, including two individuals involved with drugs, until attention shifted to McClendon. He was arrested in his home state of Alabama in 2022, with DNA evidence being a significant factor in this development. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Strasnick explained to the jury how McClendon made incriminating remarks during his arrest that suggested he possessed specific knowledge about the crime, particularly the violent assault Tremblay endured.
Strasnick emphasized that the stabbing was likely committed by someone who is left-handed, referring to McClendon’s dominant hand. Moreover, she pointed out that he was acquainted with the area and had frequently visited bars and clubs in Lawrence, living just under 20 miles away at the time of the incident.
“He thought he had escaped justice for 33 years,” Strasnick stated. “He believed that leaving the victim’s body near a train wheel would obscure the truth of what happened.” She insisted that the DNA collected from Tremblay’s fingernails excludes 99.8% of the male population, asserting that Tremblay fought for her life and managed to obtain a sample of her attacker’s DNA in the process, which ultimately led to McClendon facing trial decades later.
Conversely, McClendon’s defense attorney, Henry Fasoldt, argued that no concrete evidence links the DNA to his client or the crime. Fasoldt claimed the prosecution’s assumption about the DNA’s origin was flawed and suggested that a right-handed individual could have inflicted the wounds on Tremblay. He argued that McClendon lacked a substantial connection to Lawrence aside from his residency in Chelmsford, which is 16 miles away. Having relocated to Alabama in 2002, Fasoldt expressed concern for his client’s health and age as well.
“At 77 and in poor health, I’m worried about what he is going through again,” he remarked, asserting his belief in McClendon’s innocence.
