Drabet på 15-årig pige i Connecticut blev løst 27 år senere
The Murder of Martha Moxley
Martha Moxley was a 15-year-old American high school student who was murdered in her hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut on October 30, 1975. She was found dead in her family's backyard the following day, beaten down by blows from a golf club that was left at the crime scene.
The murder became one of the United States' most discussed cold cases and would remain unsolved for 27 years before a conviction was handed down.
Martha Moxley ermordet
Die 15-jährige Martha Moxley wird in ihrer Heimatstadt Greenwich, Connecticut getötet. Sie wird am nächsten Tag im Garten ihres Elternhauses gefunden, erschlagen mit einem Golfschläger.
Leiche entdeckt
Marthas Leiche wird im Garten entdeckt. Der Golfschläger wird am Tatort gefunden und wird zum Schlüsselbeweis.
Fall wird wiederaufgenommen
Nach 16 Jahren ohne Ergebnis nimmt die Polizei die Ermittlungen zum Mord an Martha Moxley aktiv wieder auf, insbesondere mit Fokus auf Michael Skakel.
Michael Skakel angeklagt
Michael Skakel wird offiziell des Mordes an Martha Moxley angeklagt, basierend auf angeblichen Geständnissen gegenüber Freunden.
Michael Skakel verurteilt
Michael Skakel wird von einer Jury schuldig gesprochen und zu 25 Jahren Haft für den Mord an Martha Moxley verurteilt.
Skakel gegen Kaution freigelassen
Michael Skakel wird kurzfristig gegen Kaution freigelassen, nachdem er gegen sein Urteil Berufung eingelegt hat, wird aber kurz darauf wieder inhaftiert.
Martha was the daughter of millionaire Dorthy Moxley and came from a wealthy family in the exclusive Greenwich area. On the evening of her death, she had attended a Halloween party in the neighborhood and was last seen around 10 p.m. when she was together with friends from the surrounding area.
The Cold Trail
Police quickly suspected members of the Skakel family, who were neighbors of the Moxley family. Michael Skakel, son of the wealthy Kennedy clan member Thomas Skakel, was seen in the area around the crime scene. However, investigators lacked evidence for charges, and the case stalled.
The following years were thoroughly investigated by police. Martha had been struck approximately 25-30 times with a so-called "6-iron" golf club, which was found broken nearby. Another theory pointed to her former boyfriend, Tommy Cole, but he was also later ruled out as a suspect.
The reason the case was not solved earlier was the lack of direct physical evidence and the fact that the area was well-known to police. Multiple people could have had access to the area, and witness statements were unreliable after so many years.
The Breakthrough in 2002
In 1997, the case resurfaced through new media attention, particularly through a true crime documentary. It was now announced that Michael Skakel, who had become an adult since the murder, would be brought to trial. The prosecutor argued that Skakel had confessed to friends that he had been at the crime scene and had covered up his tracks.