NY - Megan McDonald, 20, murdered, Wallkill, 15 March 2003 *Arrest in 2023*

[imstilla.grandma]

"My sister was, is wonderful," said McDonald's sister Karen Whalen. "The whole point of this for us, for our family, our entire goal is to get my sister back, is to stop talking about how she died."

The family is getting closer to the case being closed on the 20-year-old's murder in Wallkill.

"I can't stand for no answers," added Whalen.

Holley was arraigned and pleaded not guilty last week to second degree murder charges.

Investigators say the 42-year-old killed Megan because he was angry she was dating someone else and he owed her money.

20-year-old cold case murder sparks calls for investigation of District Attorney

A grand jury recently indicted a man for a two decades old murder involving the daughter of an NYPD detective, and the family is now calling for an investigation into the D.A.

abc7ny.com

 

[Eli9]

Family of murdered NYPD cop's daughter say DA protected her killer

Megan McDonald was 20 years old when she was murdered in 2003.

www.dailymail.co.uk

According to the family's complaint, James Whalen claims an unnamed official told him Hoovler had met with Holley in 2022 and offered him a 'secret plea deal without State Police knowledge.'

The complaint also says Hoovler told Holley that police were listening to his phone calls with his wife, who was in jail at the time.

'Our blood was boiling,' James Whalen told NBC News. Hoovler has said he followed protocol when offering the deal to the suspect.

He told NBC: 'Plea negotiations are by no means out of the ordinary, and certainly don't require the presence of the police. Further, any assertion that the investigation was 'hampered' by 'telling Holley that he was a suspect' at that meeting is patently false.

 

[dotr]

March 6 2025

Who are the key figures in the Megan McDonald murder case? Trial details, what to know

In Orange County Court, Edward Holley faces a second-degree murder charge in the 2003 death of Megan McDonald. These are some facts and key players as the trial begins this week.

www.recordonline.com

''On March 15, 2003, 20-year-old Megan McDonald was found bludgeoned to death in a field off Bowser Road in the Town of Wallkill. She was the daughter of Betty Jo McDonald and Dennis McDonald, an NYPD detective who investigated the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. He died of a heart attack in 2002.''

''McDonald's former boyfriend, Edward Holley, 44, of Wawayanda, has been charged with second-degree murder in her death. He has pleaded not guilty.
He has been confined to a wheelchair since a 2007 car crash. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in state prison.''

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Prosecutors and investigators believe McDonald was killed sometime in the early morning hours of March 14, although her body was not discovered in a field off Bowser Road in Wallkill until March 15.

Jury shown evidence from the day of Megan McDonald's murder; defense attorney calls it 'parade'

Special prosecutors began laying out their case against Edward Holley in the first week of his murder trial in the 2003 death of Megan McDonald.

www.poughkeepsiejournal.com

 

[Scatcat]

That Holley bloke is violent and vile

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“There’s no question that it was a horrific murder,” lead defense attorney Paul Weber said outside the Orange County Courthouse after Friday’s session adjourned. “Megan sustained incredible injuries.”

Jurors were not in the courtroom when the defense opted not to put on a case. Judge Kim has scheduled a charging conference for Monday, and closing statements in the trial will begin Tuesday morning.

https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/edward-holley-lawyers-opt-not-to-call-witnesses-20258495.php

 

[dotr]

Apr. 16, 2025

Mistrial declared in Edward Holley cold case trial as jury says it's deadlocked

Holley was accused of beating Megan McDonald to death more than 20 years ago.

spectrumlocalnews.com

The judge in the case against Edward Holley, who is accused of beating Megan McDonald to death more than 20 years ago, has declared a mistrial in the case after jurors said they could not come to a unanimous decision.

Orange County Court Judge Hyun Chin Kim declared the mistrial after nearly a week of deliberations did not produce a verdict. The jury sent four notes during deliberations, saying it couldn't reach a unanimous verdict. All the jurors individually told Kim there was a deadlock, leading to the mistrial declaration.