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Holley Trial: A Second Chance at Justice?
14 Feb
Summary
- Edward Holley's second murder trial for Megan McDonald's 2003 death is ongoing.
- Prosecutors face challenges including lack of murder weapon and eyewitnesses.
- DNA evidence presented has a low-match statistic, creating uncertainty.
The murder trial of Edward Holley for the 2003 killing of Megan McDonald has passed the one-month mark and is expected to last eight weeks. This is Holley's second trial for the crime. Prosecutors are presenting a case that is substantially the same as the first trial but with a different storytelling approach.
McDonald, 20, was found brutally attacked on March 14, 2003, with her body discovered a day later off Bowser Road. Her car was found abandoned miles away. Holley, her former boyfriend, was charged 20 years later with second-degree murder. The prosecution faces significant challenges, including the lack of a murder weapon, a confession from Holley, and eyewitnesses to the assault.
Forensic evidence presented includes DNA found on McDonald's cellphone and the driver's seat, with one analysis indicating a 53.3 times greater probability of it being Holley's, though noted as a 'low-match statistic.' Defense attorneys are continuing a strategy to find inconsistencies in testimony, exploiting the 23-year-old nature of the case. A previous trial in March ended in a hung jury.
