My name is Jonathan Blodgett essex County District Attorney and I want to just relate to everybody that last evening. Marvin skip McClendon 74 bremen Alabama was arrested in charge as *** fugitive from justice based on an arrest warrant yesterday for the murder of Melissa and trembling of Salem new Hampshire On September 12, 1988. He is in the custody of the Cullman county Sheriff's office and will be arraigned in an Alabama court tomorrow. Mr McClendon is *** retired massachusetts department of corrections employee. On September 12, 1988, The body of 11 year old Melissa Anne Tremblay was discovered in the old Boston and Maine Railroad Yard in Lawrence, she had been stabbed to death. Postmortem her body. It was won over by *** train car causing her left leg to be amputated. An investigation ensued and police learned that Melissa Tremblay, he had accompanied her mother and mother's boyfriend to the south social club in Lawrence the day before. While her mother and mother's boyfriend made inside the club, Melissa played in the adjacent neighborhoods. It was last seen by *** railroad employee and pizza delivery driver. During the late afternoon hours that night, Alyssa's mother and her mother's boyfriend frantically searched And then reported her missing to allowance police around nine PM. Over the years, scores of witnesses, suspects and persons of interest were interviewed by police assistant district attorneys and state police detective assigned to my office Specializing in cold cases have worked diligently on this case since 2014, evidence recovered from the victim's body was instrumental solving this case. The investigation found that the suspect lived in childhood in 1988 and had multiple ties to Lawrence? Specifically, investigators learned that he worked and frequent establishments in the city of Lawrence, Including the 7th Day Adventist Church on Salem Street. Melissa has never been forgotten. My office contacted surviving members of Melissa's family last night and again this morning to inform them of the arrest. I want to thank the essex chief homicide prosecutor, Jessica straws nick an appeals unit, ***. D. *** marina, morality, morality and the essex State Police detective unit headed by Captain steven Mcdonald and lead investigator. Lieutenant Peter Sherbet and Lawrence Police detectives, both current and retired who never gave up in this case, particularly retired Lawrence Police detective thomas Murphy for this tireless and relentless pursuit of justice for melissa, they were assisted by the massachusetts department of corrections. The FBI took very police, the Cullman County Sheriff's department in the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. We continue to review old cases hoping that new techniques and fresh local will result in *** breakthrough. We are mindful of the victims and their family members and continue to want answers. They are not forgotten and we will pursue those responsible and seek to hold them accountable for however long it takes. Thank you. What led you to this suspect? Can you spell his name? What led you to the evidence, the evidence led us to the evidence will absolutely be given to you in greater detail once he's arraigned so we can pursue the, make sure we follow the rules of evidence and the rules of the cooperative. That evidence will be particularly and spelled out at his arraignment. How long has he been in Alabama? Was he surprised when you showed up at his doorstep? Probably. I can't say if he was surprised when he um he was interviewed in Alabama and I will tell you that he has been *** person of interest for *** period of time. So I can't speculate us whether we're surprised or not, but we believe we have the right person. I can't answer that question right now is whether we knew them or not. I just gave you the facts as we knew them. I do not know Do the family? You said you said the suspect, you said the suspect was *** corrections officer. He was *** former he is *** former corrections officer. And I'm not I'm not really sure if he was at that time. But the department of corrections did help us in the investigation. The question of new technology. Fresh eyes. This case has been pursued. I would suggest to you in *** very diligent fashion since 1988 since we discovered her body. And I think that the Lawrence Police department, the state police continue to pursue evidence and leads and again, I will just tell you that at the arraignment date. Assistant District Attorney Jessica strasse nick will be able to give particular sized information as to how we came to feel that we should make the arrest. Family's reaction like to be able to maybe tell them that. No. So we have tried very hard to make sure we contact him last night and this morning. And I will tell you that my victim witness, chief Maureen Leo and deputy chief mickey DeFeo had told me that the family was very relieved and very happy that the police of all this matter. They never gave up their pursuit of justice for melissa. How gratifying is it for you? Come to this point? You can say in fact this case and you believe in practice. I mean, I can't even express how gratified that we are in this office that we are able to pursue justice for any family which *** loved one has been killed and murdered. And it is extremely gratifying that that after all these years, another giving up, we believe we have the right suspect. What's your message to people that think they can get away with murder. My message is don't think you can do that because we'll take every um effort to find someone who's murdered loved ones will take every effort that we have to pursue justice and we'll do everything. We can within our power using every resource to bring justice to victims of crime. But even after 30 years and many decades, this guy moved to Alabama, living another life down there. I think that just proves what I've just said, frankly that we're not going to stop. We're not gonna not pursue every single lead, not trying to develop evidence. We, I have an incredible amount of people ready to my left and right who are totally committed to justice. No matter how long it takes, I don't care if it's 30 years or 60 years will continue to do the best we can to bring some solace and justice to families who have lost loved ones to America. Was he living another life down there? Can you give us any details about what he was doing, where he was living and how he was living anything like that? He was again, he we he was in bremen Alabama. I'm not positive as to what his work history was down there. I do believe he was working and again and that will come out at the arraignment in terms of what he was doing. Um, both his work history and post work history. So thank you. Can I just ask who are the relatives that you contacted the mother? Are there aunts, uncles, cousins, uh, aunts and *** cousin were notified and aunts plural and *** cousin be involved in any other crime. Since we have no information that this, the defendant was involved in any other crimes. I'll let Kerry answer that, but I can't give you an answer right now. I'm not positive. He was employed there and I'm not sure exactly how many years. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you for coming.