MELISSA TREMBLAY: Man arrested in 1988 killing of 11-year-old girl from Salem, New Hampshire

You may remember this case:

Former Massachusetts corrections officer arrested for 1988 slaying of 11-year-old girl

A 74-year-old man was arrested this week for the 1988 murder of an 11-year-old girl in Massachusetts.

www.foxnews.com

Melissa Ann Tremblay disappeared in Lawrence, Massachusetts, at the age of 11 on a Sunday evening in 1988 and was found the next day after being stabbed to death and hit by a train.

More than three decades later, her alleged killer was arrested in Alabama and will be returned to Massachusetts to face justice. Marvin McClendon, Jr., a 74-year-old retired Massachusetts Department of Corrections officer, was taken into custody by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office and will be arraigned in an Alabama court later this week.

Tremblay went with her mother to LaSalle Social Club in Lawrence on September 11, 1988.

"While her mother and mother’s boyfriend remained inside the club, Melissa played in the adjacent neighborhoods and was last seen by a railroad employee and pizza delivery driver during the late afternoon hours," Blodgett said.

Tremblay's mother and her mother's boyfriend searched the area before reporting her missing to police that evening around 9:00 p.m.

Law enforcement located her body in a railway yard a couple of blocks from the social club the next day and an autopsy determined that she had been stabbed to death.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yes not sure what's wrong but it's very serious like multiple organ failure serious

Wow. Only in his 40s if I am doing my math right.

 

[Takeitfromme]

Wow. Only in his 40s if I am doing my math right.

He will be 50 this year if he makes it

 

[GrandmaBear]

He will be 50 this year if he makes it

Thanks.

 

[Regina]

You said there's not a lot that can be found about that case, do I recall that right?

Yeah, it appears we'd have to search newspaper archives for any info about the case.

 

[Regina]

She was killed in Methuen it says, wasn't she? So i guess it would be Methuen LE. I am also assuming there is DNA because it was a rape and murder.

Her body was found in Methuene but she went missing in Lawrence from somewhere between her house on Brookfield St and her cousin's house on Farnhum.

Brookfield Street to Farnham Street

www.google.com

 

[Regina]

On day 3, Daniel Hatch, a boy who was 13 years old and unhoused back in 1988, was called to the stand. The night Melissa disappeared, he noticed a man and a girl sitting on the steps outside of the LaSalle Social Club. Daniel was on his way to a friend’s house to get a screwdriver—a tool he used in car thefts. He recognized the man on the stoop as Mike Therrien, someone his family had warned him to avoid. About 10 minutes later, he saw them walking together, away from the club. He saw them join another man—the three of them talking together. The next day, when he heard about the discovery of the body, he asked his brother if he should tell the police what he’d seen. His brother said to stay out of it. It wasn’t until 2013, when Daniel was arrested in Lawrence, that he decided to tell the police what he’d seen 25 years prior.

What doesn’t make sense about Daniel’s testimony is the timing. Her mom last saw Melissa at 2:00PM. They got worried around 4:30PM, when it was still light out. They then spent hours looking around the bar, trying to find her. Numerous people were likely aware of the search including all of the bar staff. He said that he saw a girl, about Melissa’s age, sitting on the steps in front of the bar that night. It wouldn’t have been dark until 7:30PM. If Melissa were sitting on the steps of the bar at 7:30PM, it seems very likely that she would have been noticed and reunited with her mother.

I'm wondering which side called Hatch as a witness.

 

[Regina]

Her body was found in Methuene but she went missing in Lawrence from somewhere between her house on Brookfield St and her cousin's house on Farnhum.

Brookfield Street to Farnham Street

www.google.com

I want to point out that while the map shows the route and distance from mid-way of each of those streets, I don't know where either house was on either street.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I'm wondering which side called Hatch as a witness.

An educated guess would say the defense because his "story" does not fit with the prosecution. I doubt his story because it just doesn't work, they were looking for her by then, it makes absolutely no sense.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yeah, it appears we'd have to search newspaper archives for any info about the case.

It's sad how some cases just never get any attention or stay in the forefront.

 

[Regina]

An educated guess would say the defense because his "story" does not fit with the prosecution. I doubt his story because it just doesn't work, they were looking for her by then, it makes absolutely no sense.

I don't think the prosecution's timeline works either since they were already looking for her before the van sighting.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don't think the prosecution's timeline works either since they were already looking for her before the van sighting.

Friends, family and 11 jurors from the first trial feel and see that it was him. The prosecution felt they had a strong enough case to bring it to trial, not once but twice.

I guess you feel differently. I don't. I also don't just dismiss the DNA.

To each their own. What is unusual about looking for someone who is missing and finding out more after the search begins?

The questionable part is the story from a 13 year old homeless thief. That's not meant to be an insult, it is an accurate description.

 

[Regina]

Friends, family and 11 jurors from the first trial feel and see that it was him. The prosecution felt they had a strong enough case to bring it to trial, not once but twice.

I guess you feel differently. I don't. I also don't just dismiss the DNA.

To each their own. What is unusual about looking for someone who is missing and finding out more after the search begins?

The questionable part is the story from a 13 year old homeless thief. That's not meant to be an insult, it is an accurate description.

I don't know enough about that witness but I know I don't believe his story.
I don't "just dismiss" the DNA, nor do I presume that the van sighting is reliable info.
Anyway, it appears to me she was missing before anyone began to worry.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don't know enough about that witness but I know I don't believe his story.
I don't "just dismiss" the DNA, nor do I presume that the van sighting is reliable info.
Anyway, it appears to me she was missing before anyone began to worry.

I don't entirely disagree. I don't believe his story either and in fact I wonder the motive...

I don't dismiss the DNA.

The van, well, I guess I'm a bit open on that but definitely not convinced it was not reliable either, or true at least.

I'd say she likely was or could have been missing before mom got worried.

I've stayed away from criticizing mom and I'm sure she probably beat herself up badly enough. It is impossible, however, to ignore the fact this child had no supervision. I will say in years past it was not an unusual thing for a child to be raised this way by a long shot. It doesn't make it safe however. And it isn't like she had a sibling with her where there were two which would have afforded perhaps a bit more safety. She clearly was an unsupervised child on her own. Maybe someone or an agency should have stepped in BUT it was a different time and age too...

For me though, they had the right man. And it's his fault, not anyone else's.

 

[Regina]

I don't entirely disagree. I don't believe his story either and in fact I wonder the motive...

I don't dismiss the DNA.

The van, well, I guess I'm a bit open on that but definitely not convinced it was not reliable either, or true at least.

I'd say she likely was or could have been missing before mom got worried.

I've stayed away from criticizing mom and I'm sure she probably beat herself up badly enough. It is impossible, however, to ignore the fact this child had no supervision. I will say in years past it was not an unusual thing for a child to be raised this way by a long shot. It doesn't make it safe however. And it isn't like she had a sibling with her where there were two which would have afforded perhaps a bit more safety. She clearly was an unsupervised child on her own. Maybe someone or an agency should have stepped in BUT it was a different time and age too...

For me though, they had the right man. And it's his fault, not anyone else's.

Indeed, there's no point in criticizing the mother (I noticed you hadn't); blame is on the perp!
And yeah, the motive's unclear to me, too, I mean, it's a relatively isolated area and there's a lot of violence and no evidence of even attempted sexual assault, although I'm reminded of the murder of Michelle Martinko, that until the case was solved decades later, there'd also been no apparent motive.

Murder of Michelle Martinko - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GrandmaBear]

Indeed, there's no point in criticizing the mother (I noticed you hadn't); blame is on the perp!
And yeah, the motive's unclear to me, too, I mean, it's a relatively isolated area and there's a lot of violence and no evidence of even attempted sexual assault, although I'm reminded of the murder of Michelle Martinko, that until the case was solved decades later, there'd also been no apparent motive.

Murder of Michelle Martinko - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Yeah, I haven't and I wouldn't criticize. It truly was not that unusual of a thing back in the day. For kids to be raised that way.

I guess I figure the initial intent may have been sexual assault and perhaps something went wrong or she fought back and so rage took over. OR one could think of like Delphi where a van coming past spooked him...

Also I guess possible she did something that angered him or said something... That seems more unlikely but who knows...

I'll have to look at your link.

 

[Regina]

Re where Info from the article linked below the Quinto family lived "right across the street" from the train tracks.

Murder trial begins for ex-corrections officer charged with killing NH girl

The murder trial for a man accused of killing a New Hampshire girl back in 1988 began Thursday in a Massachusetts courtroom. Marvin “Skip” McClendon Jr., a former Massachusetts corrections officer from Alabama, was arrested last year after investigators identified him as the man who killed...

www.nbcboston.com

 

[Guess Who]

Indeed, there's no point in criticizing the mother (I noticed you hadn't); blame is on the perp!
And yeah, the motive's unclear to me, too, I mean, it's a relatively isolated area and there's a lot of violence and no evidence of even attempted sexual assault, although I'm reminded of the murder of Michelle Martinko, that until the case was solved decades later, there'd also been no apparent motive.

Murder of Michelle Martinko - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Kids that age should definitely be able to go a few blocks without parental supervision. This is 100% the perps fault and not her mother's.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Indeed, there's no point in criticizing the mother (I noticed you hadn't); blame is on the perp!
And yeah, the motive's unclear to me, too, I mean, it's a relatively isolated area and there's a lot of violence and no evidence of even attempted sexual assault, although I'm reminded of the murder of Michelle Martinko, that until the case was solved decades later, there'd also been no apparent motive.

Murder of Michelle Martinko - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Okay. I read this. Of interest I thought was that they used hypnosis and psychics over some of the years which is pretty unusual imo.

I read the entire thing and where is it you see a motive after it was solved? I see no clear motive?

 

[Regina]

Okay. I read this. Of interest I thought was that they used hypnosis and psychics over some of the years which is pretty unusual imo.

I read the entire thing and where is it you see a motive after it was solved? I see no clear motive?

Oh, I hadn't actually read the wiki info to know that. Sorry! Yeah, I guess motive wasn't actually established at trial (I know the prosecution tried to enter evidence of motive and it wasn't allowed) but it's my opinion that there was a sexual element to the crime.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Oh, I hadn't actually read the wiki info to know that. Sorry! Yeah, I guess motive wasn't actually established at trial (I know the prosecution tried to enter evidence of motive and it wasn't allowed) but it's my opinion that there was a sexual element to the crime.

That would make the most sense. And then add to it what he was looking at online in later years, although it wasn't allowed in....