BOSTON — On Tuesday, a jury acquitted an Alabama man of the murder of an 11-year-old New Hampshire girl, a case that had remained unresolved for over 35 years.
The central issue of the trial revolved around whether the DNA evidence collected from Melissa Ann Tremblay’s fingernails could be definitively linked to Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr. Following a period of stagnation in their deliberations when they indicated they were unable to reach a consensus, the jury returned after six days with a not guilty verdict.

McClendon expressed profound relief at the outcome, as conveyed by his attorney, Henry Fasoldt, who noted that his client had been held in custody for the past two-and-a-half years.
Fasoldt commended the jury’s thorough and thoughtful considerations throughout the trial. Meanwhile, Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker conveyed his disappointment with the decision but acknowledged the commitment demonstrated by the prosecutorial team and the law enforcement involved in the case.
“I recognize the work and dedication of the jury during their long deliberations in this case,” Tucker remarked, extending his sympathies to Melissa Ann Tremblay’s family, who have endured significant trauma due to the crime that claimed her life.

In the previous year, McClendon’s trial resulted in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a verdict, illustrating the ongoing challenges in this cold case. Melissa’s body was discovered in a trainyard in Lawrence, Massachusetts on September 12, 1988, just one day after her mother reported her missing.
It was reported that the young girl had been at a Lawrence social club with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend and went outside to play during the adults’ visit. She was subsequently reported missing that evening.

Melissa’s mother, Janet Tremblay, unfortunately passed away in 2015 at the age of 70, but other family members have continued to attend the trial proceedings to witness the developments in the case.
After ruling out several initial suspects, including two individuals with drug-related issues, law enforcement shifted focus to McClendon. His arrest occurred in Alabama in 2022, prompted by DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene.

Essex County Assistant District Attorney Jessica Strasnick presented arguments to the jury, highlighting comments made by McClendon during his arrest that indicated he possessed specific knowledge of the case. She claimed he was fixated on the fact that the girl had been beaten, asserting that he understood the victim had not simply been stabbed.
Further, she pointed out that a left-handed individual would have likely committed the stabbing, noting that McClendon, a left-handed person, resided within a reasonable distance of Lawrence at the time of the crime.
Strasnick emphasized that DNA evidence found beneath Melissa’s fingernails excluded 99.8 percent of the male population as potential matches.

Contrastingly, Fasoldt argued the absence of compelling evidence directly linking McClendon to the crime scene or proving that the DNA originated from Melissa.
He also suggested that there was the possibility a right-handed individual could have inflicted the stab wounds, noting that McClendon held little significant connection to Lawrence aside from residing nearby in Chelmsford until he relocated to Alabama in 2002.