Family hoping trial is final chapter in getting justice for Megan McDonald, who was murdered in March 2003
Megan's body was found on a narrow dirt path on March 15, 2003, in Wallkill, New York. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, with multiple fractures to the skull.
Holley, who had previously dated Megan, has pleaded not guilty.
He was first arrested in April 2023 — just one month after the 20-year anniversary of Megan's murder. At the time, Holley was incarcerated for an unrelated case. However, a week later, he was released from custody because his sentence had been served in that case and Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said protocol wasn't followed in Megan's case. In an email to NBC News, Hoovler said police had arrested Holley without consulting his office and that he hadn't pursued charges against Holley because investigators hadn't gathered enough evidence.
Nearly a year later, in January 2024, Holley was indicted by an Orange County grand jury for second-degree murder.
Following that announcement, Megan's family filed a complaint against Hoovler with the judicial oversight body that investigates allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.
The complaint alleged, among other things, that Hoovler tried to stymie the investigation, and failed to disclose that, prior to becoming district attorney, he once represented a suspect in Megan's killing.
In response to NBC News' request for comment about the allegations, Hoovler replied via email that the suggestion that he or anyone in his office sought to tamper with or compromise the investigation was 'inaccurate, unfair and offensive.'
Following Holley's indictment, Hoovler recused his office from the case and asked that a special prosecutor be assigned. Attorney Julia Cornachio was appointed to the case.
Holley's trial began this week in an Orange County courthouse.
On Monday, March 10, prosecutors delivered an opening statement postulating that Holley had lied to investigators through multiple interviews over the years, including about what car he was driving and where he was the night of the murder. They stated that the injuries Megan sustained showed anger and rage on the part of her killer, suggesting a personal connection to the victim.
In its opening statement, the defense pointed to an alternate suspect -- one of Megan's ex-boyfriends. They told jurors the prosecution would present a 'parade' of witnesses, and cautioned them to weigh the quality of the evidence, not the quantity.
On Monday afternoon and Tuesday, the prosecution began its case, calling witnesses that included Megan's mother, one of the people who found Megan's body, and multiple investigators from the early stages of the investigation.
Court is not in session on Wednesdays. The trial is expected to last more than a month.
On Thursday, March 13, Andrea Canning featured Megan's story and the ongoing trial on the Dateline: True Crime Weekly podcast.
In the days leading up to this trial, Megan's family provided a statement to Dateline through their attorney, John Beatty. 'Our family will always grieve the tragic loss of our beloved Megan and we will carry the pain of losing her in such a brutal and senseless manner for the rest of our lives,' it reads. 'We want to make it clear that our focus throughout this process is in seeking justice for Megan and ensuring that the person responsible for her murder is held accountable.' They stated that they trust the legal system to provide answers and a fair trial.
'This journey has been incredibly difficult for all of us, but we are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the men and women of the New York State Police, supporting agencies and special prosecutors, who have worked tirelessly to bring us to this point,' the family's statement reads.
John Beatty provided a statement of his own on behalf of his office, saying, in part, that their hearts remain heavy with grief for the family's loss of Megan. 'I want to express our unwavering confidence in the legal process,' he wrote. 'We trust that the presiding Judge and the dedicated team of special prosecutors will present the evidence to the jury with the utmost professionalism, integrity, and fairness and we appreciate the hard work of the jurors who shall see this evidence and render a just verdict.'
Megan's family is hoping this trial will be the final chapter in their two-decades-long fight for justice. 'We look forward to this trial as the final chapter, knowing that justice for Megan will finally be served,' the family statement reads. 'We are optimistic that this case can serve as a beacon of hope for other families, especially those in older cases, still seeking justice for their loved ones.'
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