VT - Melissa Walbridge, 12, raped & murdered, Essex Junction, 15 May 1981

[Daisy1975]

I am not 100% sure, but I believe this story was recently featured on a program on the Biography Channel called "Killer Kids" or something similar. I have been trying to locate a copy.

I had never heard of this case before. Truly horrifying.

 

[Lins1983]

Here is a link to "Where are they now?" update on this case http://www.fox44abc22yourvoice.com/...-remembering-essex-murder-case-31-years-later

this link doesnt work

 

[BRNTerri]

Yes, Killer Kids did this. It was season 1, episode 3 (there are actually two season 1's and this episode is from the original season 1), LINK. The segment on this case is only 11 minute long and the author of the only book about this, Peter Meyer, is interviewed. This story starts at about 7:38 into it.

I'm looking for an update. I know one was done by a television station, link but I can't find the actual update video. I did find this 6/2013 update on a news station website.

P.S.- Her name is spelled Meghan and Jamie was born 9/20/65.

 

[C42611]

Jamie Savage, about a year after being released, was involved in a arson for insurance and the person who hired him killed him and buried him with lye in a shaloww grave I do believe the name change was part of the book/movie script and not the fact. I grew up with and went to school with both families. I will do more research to conferm this, but it seems all the info sites you must pay for.

This was indeed not the case, his Brother Junie "Rene Savage Jr." Was murdered some 20 years later for this reason yes but it was not Jamie who was murdered. This I know because as much as I hate to admit it Jamie, Rene Jr., and Julie Savage are my cousins and now only Julie is here Jamie is alive, hes out there somewheres though he should have been murdered in the most horrendous way possible.

 

[Bargle]

Placemarker post. "Death of Innocence" book case.

 

[Woofer316]

I do know Louie Hamlin is still incarcerated in Colorado. But I'd really be interested to know if Jamie is still alive as the rumor has it he has died. Does anyone have any information on this I am currently reading the book and it makes me wonder where Jamie is. The sad thing is the law at this time was horrible and he was able to walk free at 18 to do as he pleases.

 

[The Farm]

Welcome to WS Woofer. I remember the case and reading the book quite a while ago. Nothing seems to come up under his name and I remember when I did read the book looking for him hoping that he was not living anywhere near me!!!
Supposedly he changed his name after his release which means if he is still alive he is under another name.

 

[Rove]

I'm glad he's still locked up now what's going on with Jaimie? Any updates? You can't hide forever which he found out obviously and had to move again.

 

[Mobb70]

Just found this thread. I do not have anything to add as I was 6 or 7 when it happened, but I do rem them boys. My grandmother lived across from the donut factory on riverside avenue and they lived across the street from her. and I rem my family (bailey) used to prob hang out with them as my uncles were about their age and older. I rem the name Jamie savage as well, not a face, just the name. My mom lived at the “10 commandments” on riverside ave too, maybe he was one of the Oder kids. I had an older cousin shot by his dad (Katon) while he was cleaning his shotgun apparently, not sure whatever happened with that around the same time as the savage thing case. Must of been an odd time then, especially since Burlington and Essex was quite different and innocent like back then.

 

[4lvadoxies]

This could not be the same girl/ woman, although I suppose it could be a relative. Melissa died in the attacks. MEGHAN lived to testify against her attackers.

I see that you are new. Welcome to WS, and I hope I haven't embarrassed you by pointing out an innocent error.
Best,
Maria

t

I found out that after Louis Hamlin was sent to the federal peniteniary in Springfield, Missouri, he was then moved again to the federal correctional institute in Oxford, Wisconsin. This being the last known facility he was housed at I did a inmate locator search through the federal prisons (inmateloc.bop.gov/locatordocs/home.jsp) and found the following...

1.Name LOUIS HAMLIN DOB 1964-10-29 # 38897-06641 race White sex Male RELEASED 09-28-1993
realeased??? Well I got to thinking that maybe on 9-28-93 he was released back to Vermont...so I did an inmate locator, and found that he was listed as being held at a Facility Interstate Compact Facility
For information call 802-751-0252 Caseworker JEFFREY PERCY

So then I looked up the facility listed as "Interstate Compact"....basically this is the deal...

INTERSTATE CORRECTIONS COMPACT
As used in this compact, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: "State" means a state of the United States, located in New England; to wit, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island; "sending state" means a state party to this compact in which conviction or court commitment was had; "receiving state" means a state party to this compact to which an inmate is sent for confinement other than a state in which conviction or court commitment was had; "inmate" means a male or female offender who is committed, under sentence to or confined in a penal or correctional institution; "institution" means any penal or correctional facility, including but not limited to a facility for the mentally ill or mentally defective, in which inmates as defined above may lawfully be confined.

I then searched all the inmate locators available online... but to no avail!
I then realized that maybe the reason he was listed in Vermont as such (interstate compact facility) was because initially he was sent out of state to the Fed. Prison system... and if so Fed. has him listed as "released" as of 1993. So maybe he is just that "released" to society... but I find that hard to believe... he was convicted on July 15th, 1982...He was arrested a few weeks after the murder (May 21st, 1981)... so if he was realeased all in all he served 12yrs & 4mos of his sentence of 45-life & 15-12yrs????:behindbar

Well If anyone has any thoughts on this, or if I've gotten it wrong, let me know!!!

Last I checked, about a year ago, Louis Hamlin is still in prison. I found Jamie Savage. He is not in Vermont, He is married and has a son. He is not a successful man.

 

[Arose64]

I was wondering if anyone remembers this case... It happened in Essex Junction,
Vermont on May 15th 1981. Melissa Walbridge and Megan O'Rourke, 12-year-old sixth-graders were brutaly raped and tortured as they took a shortcut home through a wooded section of a park near their school. Remarkably, Meghan O'Rourke survived to assist police in putting her attackers Jamie Savage, 15, and Louie Hamlin, 16, behind bars. Savage served no more than 3 years because law demanded he be tried in juvenile court. I heard that once released he had changed his name to John W. Barber and moved to Arizona. Hamlin was tried as an adult and sentenced to 45-life for murder & 15-25 for sexual assault. He was serving his time at St. Albans Correctional Center. But later he was secreted out of state to a federal peniteniary in Springfield, Missouri, they stated that they could not guarentee his safety in the Vermont prison system. Well, thats the last I've heard of this case. I've been wondering whatever happened to Megan O'Rourke... How is she, What kind of work she does, Is she married? I just hope she has been blessed since this awful tragedy! And ofcourse I wonder about Savage/Barber... Where he's been living
and what he's been up to? Also would love to know if Hamlin's still in prison and where at and if he's out where he is? So if anyone knows about this case...maybe you live in Vermont? Maybe you just remember this awful tragedy.. whatever the case please post here. This case really touched my heart!!!

I was wondering if anyone remembers this case... It happened in Essex Junction,
Vermont on May 15th 1981. Melissa Walbridge and Megan O'Rourke, 12-year-old sixth-graders were brutaly raped and tortured as they took a shortcut home through a wooded section of a park near their school. Remarkably, Meghan O'Rourke survived to assist police in putting her attackers Jamie Savage, 15, and Louie Hamlin, 16, behind bars. Savage served no more than 3 years because law demanded he be tried in juvenile court. I heard that once released he had changed his name to John W. Barber and moved to Arizona. Hamlin was tried as an adult and sentenced to 45-life for murder & 15-25 for sexual assault. He was serving his time at St. Albans Correctional Center. But later he was secreted out of state to a federal peniteniary in Springfield, Missouri, they stated that they could not guarentee his safety in the Vermont prison system. Well, thats the last I've heard of this case. I've been wondering whatever happened to Megan O'Rourke... How is she, What kind of work she does, Is she married? I just hope she has been blessed since this awful tragedy! And ofcourse I wonder about Savage/Barber... Where he's been living
and what he's been up to? Also would love to know if Hamlin's still in prison and where at and if he's out where he is? So if anyone knows about this case...maybe you live in Vermont? Maybe you just remember this awful tragedy.. whatever the case please post here. This case really touched my heart!!!

I lived in Essex Junction and was in high school when this happened. I remember the manhunt after and how savage got out once he turned 18.