Grand jury indicts Edward Holley in 2003 murder of Orange County NY's Megan McDonald

GOSHEN — An Orange County grand jury on Monday handed up an indictment charging Edward V. Holley with a single count of second-degree murder in the 2003 death of Megan McDonald.

Special prosecutor Julia Cornachio announced the indictment and said she spoke with the McDonald family shortly after the grand jury acted. She described the family as "emotional" at learning the news.

Cornachio, who was named to the case with co-counsel Laura Murphy after District Attorney David M. Hoovler recused himself last April, declined to comment further, saying the case will take its course.

The death of McDonald, who was 20 when her beaten body was found in a field in the town of Wallkill on March 15, 2003, has been the county's most-watched cold case, as State Police hunted her killer for two decades. For years, the vivacious woman's smile beamed down from billboards across the county, offering rewards for information in her death. Friends and family held a Justice for Megan vigil for decades, hoping for an arrest.

McDonald's father, Dennis, was an NYPD detective who investigated the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. He died the year before his daughter.

Monday’s development marks the second time Holley has been charged with the homicide, but the first time a grand jury has voted an indictment.

In a stunning development in the cold case, State Police last April did an end-run around Hoovler, charging Holley with second-degree murder without informing the DA of the arrest. Instead, lead investigator Michael Corletta submitted a 17-page criminal complaint, laying out the case against Holley.

At his arrest on April 20, 2023, just more than a month after the 20th anniversary of McDonald's murder, a defiant Holley declared his innocence as he left the Troop F State Police barracks. Holley, who had a physical relationship with McDonald that she broke off days before she was killed, told reporters that he loved McDonald.

Holley lost the use of his legs in a 2007 auto crash and uses a wheelchair.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Holley faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

The family responds

The McDonald family, through their NYC-based attorney John Beatty of Beatty Law PLLC, issued a statement saying they are "gratified and relieved to hear that the grand jury has indicted her killer, Edward Holley, for murder."

"The family has been waiting for justice for 20 years and is grateful to the hard-working New York State Police and the special prosecutors appointed to present the evidence," the statement read. "They are extremely grateful to the grand jury for their hard work and dedication to hearing the evidence in this case."

The statement continued: "The indictment of Edward Holley is a significant step towards justice for Megan and her family. The family is hopeful that the judicial process will continue to progress fairly and impartially and that Edward Holley will be held justly accountable for his actions. The family would like to sincerely thank the community for their support during this difficult time. They ask for privacy as they continue to grieve the loss of their beloved Megan."

Several twists

The McDonald case took several twists after Holley’s arrest:

• DA Hoovler was a no-show at the arrest press conference. Within hours, he issued a press release announcing that State Police had told his office they would not arrest Holley without informing his office;

• A week later, Hoovler declined to pursue the case at the preliminary hearing, saying there was not enough time to secure an indictment within the timeframe set by law;

• Accordingly, Town of Wallkill Judge Peter Green released Holley, who was in jail on a drug charge, once that sentence had been served;

• Hoovler stepped away from the case after the arrest, citing “a substantial appearance of a conflict of interest” dating back to his work on behalf of a client who was questioned in the case.

Holley has appeared in Green's court several times since his arrest and release, alongside his attorney, Paul Weber. The case has been continued by Green as Cornachio reviewed 20 years of evidence. In November, Cornachio told Judge Green the matter was before an Orange County grand jury.

Holley's attorney: 'The truth will come out'

Weber reacted to Monday's indictment with a long statement blasting the grand-jury process that is "unfair to the grand jurors and even more so to the defendant," presenting "only one side of the story and it all takes place behind closed doors." Defense attorneys, Weber said, aren't permitted in the grand jury room and cannot object to questions or cross-examine witnesses. He added that he is still waiting for Cornachio to turn over more "discovery" evidence.

"The truth will come out in the end," Weber said. "Edward Holley had nothing to do with the murder of Megan McDonald."

Holley was scheduled to appear in Green's Wallkill court on Jan. 31, but the indictment means that the case will now be transferred to Orange County Court. Cornachio said Holley will be arraigned on the new charge before Judge Hyun Chin Kim at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 2.

Cornachio and Murphy are veteran prosecutors from Westchester, where Murphy led the district attorney's cold case bureau.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Grand jury indicts Edward Holley in murder of NY woman Megan McDonald