GOSHEN – The jury in the Megan McDonald murder retrial began deliberating late Friday afternoon after hearing nearly two months of testimony.
The case, which began on Jan. 12, went to the jury at about 4:25 p.m. Deliberations will continue on Monday. Closing arguments began on Thursday, with the defense team, led by Paul Weber, spending approximately three hours in front of Orange County Court Judge Hyun Chin Kim. Special prosecutors Julia Cornachio and Laura Murphy countered on Friday.
Edward Holley, 45, of Wawayanda, stands accused of killing McDonald 22 years ago in the Town of Wallkill. He was arrested by State Police in April of 2023 in connection with her death and is facing a murder charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
A mistrial was declared in the highly publicized case last April after the deadlocked jury could not reach a verdict after more than a week of deliberations in Judge Kim’s courtroom.
Holley, of Wawayanda, is accused of killing McDonald nearly 23 years ago in the Town of Wallkill. He was arrested by State Police in April of 2023 and faces a murder charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
McDonald’s body was found on a narrow dirt path on March 15, 2003, on Bowser Road in Wallkill. The cause of death was blunt force trauma, with multiple fractures to the skull. McDonald was 20 years old at the time of her death. Holley had previously dated McDonald.
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