Accident – death – Obituary News :

A New Trial Planned After Mistrial Declared in Case of Former Corrections Officer Accused of Killing New Hampshire Girl

A mistrial was reportedly declared on Wednesday in the case against Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr., a former corrections officer accused of the murder of an 11-year-old girl in New Hampshire 35 years ago. Melissa Ann Tremblay of Salem, New Hampshire, was found dead on September 12, 1988, at a railyard in Lawrence, Massachusetts, one day after she was reported missing.

McClendon, 76, was arrested last year in Alabama and charged as a fugitive from justice. He was later returned to Massachusetts to face a murder charge. The trial against McClendon began earlier this month but ended with the jury deadlocked and failing to reach a verdict after 29 hours of deliberation, according to The Eagle Tribune.

Prosecutors had presented DNA evidence found on the victim’s remains in 2014, which led investigators to McClendon’s family. Authorities obtained DNA samples from relatives, including Skip, as they identified him as the only left-handed family member. The investigation had determined that the killer was left-handed.

The office of Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker expressed confidence in the evidence and announced plans for a new trial against McClendon. However, a timetable for the retrial was not revealed. Following the mistrial, McClendon was returned to jail, though it remains unclear whether he might be released on bail in the meantime.

Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr., originally from Alabama and a former Massachusetts corrections officer, was arrested last year after investigators identified him as the man responsible for the murder of Melissa Ann Tremblay in a Lawrence railyard.

At the time of his arrest, prosecutors revealed that McClendon had worked for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections on three separate occasions between 1970 and 2002. He resided in Chelmsford and was working as a carpenter when Melissa Ann’s killing took place.

The new trial is anticipated to shed further light on the tragic events that took place 35 years ago and bring justice for Melissa Ann Tremblay and her family. Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker expressed confidence in the evidence gathered and reiterated the commitment to pursuing justice in this case.

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