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Subscribe to RSSIn Vermont, a husband and wife have been charged with murder of a teacher that has left a small town reeling. They have pleaded not guilty and are being held without bail. NBC's Ron Mott reports.
A couple accused of killing a beloved Vermont school teacher may have had sexual motivations, according to the county’s top prosecutor, and investigators noted finding condoms and wrappers where the body – which showed signs of a severe beating -- was found in a wooded area.
Allen Prue, 30, and his wife, Patricia, 33, were charged Wednesday with second-degree murder in the strangulation death of Melissa Jenkins, a 33-year-old single mother of a 2-year-old boy, Ty. The death of Jenkins, a teacher at St. Johnsbury Academy, has left the community searching for answers.
Caledonia County’s top prosecutor, State’s Attorney Lisa Warren, told the Burlington Free Press that the killing appeared to be “sexually motivated.” When msnbc.com contacted Warren’s office to further elaborate on her comment, a woman who answered the phone directed all calls to the local court office and said the state attorney would not be speaking about the case.
According to an affidavit filed in Vermont Superior Court with the charge sheets, police found condoms and wrappers near where Jenkins was discovered. Lt. Jean Paul Sinclair, the Vermont State Police crime scene search team leader, said Jenkins’ feet were tied with white rope and that she had “severe bruising of her face, neck, upper and lower torso's and extremities indicating that she received a severe beating prior to her death.”
Sinclair also said some of the bruises had “unique patterns” that he described as being “checkerboard." He also noted she had bruises that were rounded, “like that of the toe of a shoe.”
In the police affidavit, authorities also outlined how they traced the phone that was used by the Prues to call Jenkins the night she disappeared, the fact she had called a friend worried about a “weird call” she got “from a girl and guy who used to plow her driveway,” and how the body was found.
Both Prues pleaded not guilty at their arraignment on Wednesday, but Allen Prue’s alleged confession is included in the affidavit. In it, authorities say he told them that he and his wife “got the idea to get a girl” but they didn’t “plan to get one forcefully.” He said his wife called Jenkins and told her their car had broken down and they needed help. When the teacher turned up, Allen Prue said, he strangled her and put her in the backseat of his car; then, his wife also strangled her.
They allegedly took the body to their home, where they stripped Jenkins and put her body – over which they poured bleach -- on a tarp. They also took off their clothes, which they put in the car with the body wrapped in the tarp. They later disposed of the body in the Connecticut River, and burned the clothes, the tarp and a blanket, the affidavit says.
If convicted, the pair face a minimum of 20 years in prison on the second-degree murder charge, but Warren has indicated that she may impose steeper charges, according to the Burlington Free Press.
Jenkins taught science and used to coach basketball at the prestigious St. Johnsbury Academy, which counts former President Calvin Coolidge among its alumni. The academy will hold a fundraiser on Friday to help raise money for the Melissa Jenkins Memorial Trust, The Caledonian-Record reported.
"The news of the recent arrests in the murder of Melissa Jenkins is, of course, good news for all who loved her," academy spokesman Joe Healy said in a statement, according to the newspaper. "We can now turn our full attention to healing from this tragic loss, celebrating Melissa's life and mourning her death."
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Fry em'.
Why are they being charged with 2nd degree murder? They obviously planned this out, aka pre-meditated. I'm no lawyer, but seems like a pretty clear cut 1st degree murder to me. Just because the guy said they didn't plan on doing it "forcefully", it is pretty clear that was not the case.
Why is it that only ugly people kill?
Why do we continually give scumbags like this 'any break' at all. If this is not 'first degree murder', I don't understand the definition. I understand that the difference between 1st and 2nd degree murder is 'premeditation' which seems pretty evident here. I'm not a lawyer, but if his 'confession' is held up, why would the State not go for 1st degree murder?
JAson, my thoughts exactly. this is premeditated first degree??? they called her with a plan to kill her and its 2nd degree? seems a bit off to me. maybe more evidence will show otherwise.
So let's get this straight, they lured to this location so they could sexually assault her and what?... they accidentally took turns strangling her? This is as first degree as you get! Does Vermont have the death penalty? If not, then life without parole. Period!!!
As of right now they don't seem to have enough evidence that it was premeditated...unfortunately that's the way it works. I work with few people who grew up with Melissa...Please send prayers to Vermont right now.
Let me try to explain. It really doesn't matter what you look like. People with a natural inner beauty project that beauty to the world. It's a part of them. It has nothing to do with the outer "shell" - our bodies. As people get past the shell and the beauty shines through, we get to know, see and enjoy that beauty. It's true. Think about people in your life who are beautiful to you and see if all of them possess the "beauty standards" the media tries to foist on the public. Those with hatred, distortion, malice inside themselves project that as well and we see ugliness. In the case of these two murdering neanderthals...well, enough said.
There are some crimes so horrific and senseless that they make you start questioning the existence of God.
The Connecticut Home invasion was one. And now this.
Sigh....
JasonFinPhilly24, seems to be first degree murder to me too. My guess is that they are just being overly cautious, and once they have all the evidence in, they will press for first-degree murder.
This was 1st degree murder- how on earth did they get a 2nd degree? Makes no sense but yet another example of how the justice system fails once again
I am speechless i mean what kind of couple agree to do something like this. WTF where they trying to do in the first place.
I am guessing this is how it went down. They decided to get a girl and called the prettiest one they could think of. When she showed up and didn't want to, they decided they would just take it. She was probably screaming and like all idiots, they beat her trying to make her shut up and when that didn't work, they chocked her.
I am not defending them, but the problem here seems to be with the law. To me, viciousness of it should put it to first degree regardless of whether it was planned.
And I will also add, at least the family can have a tiny bit of peace because only the biggest idiots in the world calls someone on a cell phone before killing them. They went through all the hassle of bleach and burning evidence, like real smart ones, too stupid to realize they were going to be the first ones the cops looked at once they got the phone records.
And I really don't think the charge will matter, 1st or 2nd degree, they are going to pile so many charges on it, they will never see the light of day. Kidnapping and 1st degree assault come to mind.
Why fry them, make them like a cage for 60 years before their trip to hell. It will be a good warm up.
And I love the guys mom on the new this morning telling the press her boy didn't do this, and how she doesn't know how they will prove it, but she knows, even after he confessed, he's innocent. Lady, save it, I know he's your kid, but these kind of animals almost always are groomed at home with brutal and cruel parents.
I think Kevin hit this on the head. If they charge them with 1st degree, then can't raise the evidence (court-approved evidence), the charges could get tossed out. If they charge them with 2nd degree, they can hold them on the evidence they have. When they establish the evidence for premeditation, they'll up the charges. This is the best way to keep these idiots from walking.
After thinking about this story overnight, here is the conclusion I have come up with: I don't think Jenkins was picked randomly at all. Allen probably suggested they "get a girl" in a random sort of way to Patricia, who agreed, but all along he had Jenkins specifically in mind because he was pi$$ed as hell that she had turned him down numerous times for a date (that is a fact I read in a VT paper and a relative confirmed that he knew Prues had repeatedly asked her out). This whole thing was his psycho-sexual revenge for being rejected. It was totally premeditated. The severe beating of her, the sex with the corpse was his way of getting back at her. Scary to think how many other extreme low-lifes there is out there like Allen Prue and his POS white trash wife. Fitting that the two of them lived in a trailer with his mother. Ish.
The only reason i can think they are going for second degree is because they said they had no intent to take her by force, BUT since they mislead her by claiming they needed help with a broken down car they may leave the door open for a jury to convict for a harsher crime, each state is different. Its the whole sex part of this that is making me ill, based on the statements so far as to the events' timeline, they could only have sex with her after she was dead, that make everything a whole new level of "sick". these are mentally ill animals that just need to be kept away from of the world.
Folks, under Vermont law, the top penalty for second degree murder with aggravating circumstances (such as sexual assault) is exactly the same as the top penalty for first degree murder with aggravating circumstances -- it is life without possibility of parole.
Second degree murder is significantly easier to prove because you don't have to prove premeditation. So why would you charge them with first degree murder?
in most cases ron, the DAs try to charge heaviest crime they can so they actually have more chances of conviction, when they go to court they can just let the jury decide if its 1st degree or lesser. In many cases they can get a plea deal of a lesser charge that would have been a conviction by a jury anyway, ends up saving the public money for a jury trial.
That's a p*ss poor legal system, if you ask me, if the punishment makes no differentiation at all between first and second degree murder. So "premeditation", "with malice aforethought", etc., really make no difference in Vermont. Wow.
My heart goes out to the 2 yr old. Because of these two sick morons, a mother lost her life and a child lost his mother.
As others have already commented...ARE KIDDING ME. Hey VT...time to change those State laws re murder. This is straight up FIRST degree murder...to be punished by death.
Wow....what sickos.
This is incorrect. Life without parole is an option for both, but not the only option. Second degree also has the 20 to life option, versus first degree, which has the 35 to life option. So first degree murder guarantees at least 15 more years in prison.
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullsection.cfm?Title=13&Chapter=053&Section=02303
Kevin, Ron said "top penalty," meaning maximum.
To those who emotionally feel this should be first degree murder, emotions don't change the fact that the evidence presented demonstrates the the act was likely not premeditated and the premeditation claim could sink the case in court since it would be more difficult to prove. This is why DAs prosecute on strict interpretation of the law instead of emotion.
Let the system do its work.
Well said, Alan. Thanks.
@Alan P....you may be right, and I'm no lawyer. BUT...I think the evidence shows it WAS PREMEDITATED. Didn't they call her under the guise of needing help? Then they BOTH assault her.
I'm going to make an assumption...so flame away...anyone want to guess what's on their computer at home??
20 years hard labor, all proceeds to go to Ty.
The story generally reveals enough about the crime. Now, what the hell is wrong with the state of Vermont? 2ed degree murder? Possibly 20 years? Damn!, what would Vermont do with a bank robber? Thank him/her, and give 'em a reward?
True, Alan and Ron. I missed that "top" for some reason. My mistake with regards to that.
I still think that your reasoning as to why they have not charged first degree is probably not their reason. We often see prosecutors take their time, and wait for more evidence, before they settle on the final charges
Not to make light of the heinous crime, but the guy reminds me of the young man who raped Sera in "Leaving Las Vegas". When I saw his mugshot, I kept wondering where I'd seen him before.
Extra Crispy.................Please
I l1ke a l1ttle ext4 cr1zby...
So in this guy's own words, they strangled her BEFORE they took her to the dump site. So if the condoms and wrappers were there, and not with the clothes and the tarp they then took away, it leads me to believe he sexually abused a corpse. Which in and of itself is a punishable offense. I hope this prosecutor goes for the jugular with these two murderers.
The dude may have had sex with his own wife... not the victim. Testing would paint a clearer picture.
As for the perps: they will probably claim some history of mental deficiency & get a reduced charge...
Good Lord what's wrong with people??? Whatever the motivation, they're clearly insane and need to be put away from society.
I'm confused - if they disposed of her body in the river, why was it discovered in a wooded area?
I've heard that rivers sometimes run through the woods. Can anyone confirm?
ha, yes, I can confirm this, I have actually seen it happen.
you have to look on the down hill side, i here it only runs one way....
Until such time that you post a video from utube, it has not been proven. I learned that arguing with an idiot the other day.
I wondered the same thing. Was she found in the woods surrounded by condoms or found in the river like the husband says in the confession? Why did the wife strangle her the second time? That doesn't make sense either...unless the husband told her to do it so he could watch? Couple of sick creatures in any case that need to be removed from society.
What animals!.....please I hope they don't try to cop a insanity plea...this was totally premeditated.
How is this not first degree murder? It sounds is premeditated to me. How do you admit guilt then plead not guilty? Sounds like it going to be a big waste of the state money and time. They should both be put down like the animals they are. I bet some lawyer jumped on this and told them to plead not guilty, just so he/or she (lawyer) could get some type of media attention. If that's the case maybe the lawyer should be put down too!
Very few people plead guilty at an arraignment. Don't get hung up on the technicalities.
Barry-NJ
I'm Canadian and our justice system is a little different here. I'm not saying weird $hit doesn’t happen in Canada, however it seems like it's a waste of time, although I guess it's their right to plead either or. I guess the biggest question is why only 2nd degree?
Why not felony-murder based on the kidnapping....that's akin to 1st degree, isn't it?
How utterly, absolutely, and insanely disgusting. My hope is that she passed away quickly and didn't have endure the torture described. I'm not much of a religious person but I imagine that she is somewhere beautiful and calm and is keeping a close watch over Ty and those who were closest to her. It's a shame that the world has lost her but what a gift her life must have been to those who had the honor of being part of it.
itzurgurlbeth, like you i'm not much of a religious person, but after the death of a person who was very important to me...well i went looking for answers...in the bible. The bible says the dead know nothing, and will know nothing until the ressurection takes place. I know it's comforting to think that poor innocent mother of a little boy is in a calm and tranquil place, keeping watch over her son...but...i don't think so. Of course this is just my opinion...so i'm just saying.
These vicious animals will answer for their horrific crimes to a much higher authority eventually.
Well, to those who question the existence of God, because of crimes like this: God is completely sold out to give us free will. Those who commit crimes/sin are allowed to do so, because God is completely sold out to give us free will. Criminals have no one to blame but themselves when the commit such horrible crimes/sin. If God MADE us do good all the time & did not allow us our own free will, what would be the point? And I think we would probably be complaining that "it's not that bad! Why won't you let me do such-&-so?"
Jesus Christ, people!!!! (pun intended)...THERE IS NO GOD! We have free will for the same reason ANY living, breathing thing has free will...we have brains. God didn't make these morons do bad things. He also didn't ALLOW them to do bad things. He can't allow horrible things to happen, and he can't prevent horrible things from happening. HE IS A MYTH! No different than Zeus, Santa Claus, or the tooth fairy.
This poor woman is not in "Heaven", looking down on her son, and these white-trash, inbred POS's are not going to burn in "Hell". This life is the only one you get...period! That's what makes it so precious. Enjoy yours like there is no tomorrow, because one day, there won't be.
ANY punishment you or I, or these 2 worthless scumbags get, is going to come from mankind. Vermont needs to get with the program, and institute the death penalty. This case is the perfect example why.
SOS ... shot on sight
I just hope the pair didn't breed already..............poor kid to have them for parents.
I think we some obvious signs of in-breeding here! Look at the shape of his head. This certainly seems pre-meditated to me. They lured her, kidnapped her and raped her likely before killing her. I could see diminished intelligence as a defense but what else?
Well, "diminished capacity" is a defense but "diminished intelligence" is not. Courts have ruled that people legally defined as "mentally retarded" (I know that is a very non-PC term but is often still in the law as opposed to newer softer terms such as "intellectually challenged") cannot be executed; this isn't a factor in Vermont because there is no death penalty in any event, and I don't think that courts have ever ruled that merely lacking intelligence exempts adults from all punishment.
Premeditated or not, strangulation has probably got to be the lengthiest form of murder...this idiot had time to at least change his mind about killing this innocent woman, but chose to keep going...all the "post-murder preparation" with the burning and bleaching etc., ALONE!!, would be enough to undoubtedly go for the first-degree charge..."I strangled her and put her in the backseat of our car, then my wife strangled her"??? how does premeditated even become an issue?
Either way, i hope they throw the ENTIRE book at these monsters...Lets please not forget that they did this in front of a 2-yr old! is anything sacred anymore AMERICA?!
*Hey let's lighten the punishment for MURDER by calling it something else* <--REALLY?!
well if thats the case, Jenkins isn't the only one who will meet her demise...hell, the court is pretty much begging people to commit horrible acts such as these...
fry their a$$es and move on to the next one, because as sure as you are born, there will be more to come like this
Stop calling these 2 pieces of garbage "animals". No animal would do anything even remotely resembling this disgusting and horrible act. Call them monsters, trash, killers, whatever...but animals they aren't.
They should never be allowed to live in society or see the light of day again. Poor Ms. Jenkins, she had such a kind heart that she was willing to go out of her way to help people who were pretty much strangers, who then trapped her and murdered her. So sad that such a kind person had to encounter such an awful fate.
These two are not human beings. Anything short of death is an injustice to this victim and her family. It's time to start setting examples that this type of behavior will be no longer tolerated.
What exactly was their motive? These are just plain sickos that need a date with the hangman.
This was so senseless. A wonderful teacher and mother killed because she was trying to be a good samaritan. Her son (who saw her strangled) is now without a mother. And these two soul-less monsters are still walking around breathing. I hope the evidence continues to mount against these two until they are pressed with the highest charges they can be. There were some people on other threads posting that if they moved her body to NH, it was possible they could still get the death penalty. I don't know anything about the laws in New England states, but I sure hope that is the case.
If they killed her in Vermont and then moved the body into New Hampshire, the crime committed in N.H. would be abuse of a corpse or illegally disposing of a body, non-capital offenses. Each crime must be adjudicated under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it was committed. Just killing someone in a non-death penalty state and then moving their remains into a death penalty state does not change the actual act of the killing into a capital offense.
Seems like this would then be a FEDERAL crime...
Actually, there seems to be some statute about illegal interstate transportation of a dead body, but I can't imagine it being invoked here unless somehow the state's case starts totally to fall apart and then maybe it could be invoked just to prevent them from getting a total walk ... and it's not like it would have a huge punishment the way their potential state charges would.
A couple of true sickos who left a little boy motherless.
May they get MORE, WAY MORE, than just 20 years for this disgusting crime. It sickens me that she was responding to their call and on her way to help them. I'm not a vengeful person, normally, but I do hope each is raped repeatedly and beaten while they are in jail....And I'm asking God to forgive me for such hateful thoughts as I type.
They should get twenty years, or whatever the max is, just for abusing the corpse on top of life without parole for the murders, to be served consecutively. When they die, their remains shouldn't even be released to their families, but just cremated right there at the prison.
No, dump their sorry ass corpses into a tree chipper and be done with this human garbage.
And why are people against the death penalty?
I am against the death penalty for several reasons. First, numerous studies have shown that it doesn't deter criminals, who think they won't get caught anyway. Second, it's way more expensive than life in prison because of all the appeals.
And finally, if I don't trust the State to administer a health care program (or run the DMV) effectively, how can I trust them to execute the right people? Lots of innocent folks have been executed (although at the time, everybody thought the case was air tight). If the State is incompetent and the government is broken and corrupt, which I believe it is, then it should not be killing people.
It has nothing to do with justice or with what somebody "deserves." Naturally, anybody who commits a crime like this deserves death, but the issue of whether the State has the right (and is fit) to administer it is a whole other can of worms.
Lee,
I have felt the same way for a long time. People use cases like this to "prove" that the death penalty is necessary, but how do you trust a government as screwed up as ours to do the right thing? Do they do a good job collecting taxes? Do they do a good job inspecting meat? Do they do a good job keeping corruption and money laundering out of Washington? Then why would they be good at finding the right guilty person and issuing the right punishment? Too many innocent people have been fried by over zealous DAs with the government's blessing. If you lock them up for life it's cheaper and if they turn out to be innocent you can still let them go.
If this country does a ten year stretch without killing an innocent person in prison, I'll change my mind about the death penalty.
The death penalty is unnecessary. The government can imprison the worst of the worst offenders indefinitely for a fraction of the cost. Capital punishment may also be inflicting severe emotional distress on witnesses and others carrying out the sentence. We'd be better off abolishing the death penalty.
The death penalty is necessary, why? because will exterminate criminal people like these Jenkins and it is so clear and plain they kill her in a cold blood, and they deserve not to live!! Not only that it is a fact that it will be a lesson for the rest of criminals before are doing something so horrible and unacceptable to kill someone that did not hurt to anyone. Why still criminals in this world?? Because of liberals ideas of executing criminals is wrong, but it is not wrong killings unborn babies, what a contradiction !!!!!! Let's go to think that the Jenkins are a very very very late abortion and execute them!!
@marciano, your points are very nicely refuted by Lee, above. Did you not bother to read? 1) It doesn't deter criminals, 2) It costs more than life in prison, 3) Whether or not they deserve death isn't the question, it is whether the government should be killing people (and if they can be trusted to kill only the right people).
As far as anti-death penalty/pro-choice being a contradition, how is this any more so than your apparent pro-death penalty/anti-abortion stance? If killing is wrong under any circumstance, even if it is an embryo (there is no such thing as an "unborn baby", scientifically), then why is the death penalty OK?
THE DEATH PENALTY ELIMINATES SECOND OFFENDERS...LET'S SEE YOU BLEEDING HEARTS REFUTE THAT!!!
Definition of a liberal...someone who's never been mugged.
Any American who goes around spreading hatred towards teachers(like R. Santorum)...........well one of the bruises on teacher Melissa Jenkins is from you. Shame!
That is seriously twisted logic. Please refrain from using this tragedy to voice your preference for President.
@thenew10
Unfortunate that no one taught you how not to be hateful. To use this story to express your Presidential preferences is one of the lamest comments I have ever read on Newsvine, which says a lot. Show us where Santorum or any other candidate said that killing teachers was all right. I don't hate any teacher, but if you're one I could learn to make an exception ...
20 years is not even close to a fitting punishment. Death penalty for both or life w/o parole! I feel so bad for her family, especially that little boy who saw them kill her.
No death penalty in VT. They should both get several life sentences. And please tell me this couple was never able to breed...
This should be first degree. If their is a God, he sure does let evil hurt his children.
Epitome of White Trailer Garbage.
This was a ridiculous crime. Fry these two Maggots together.
May have been sexually motivated? Condoms and wrappers at the scene of the dead woman? What did the police think they were going to do with condoms?
The DNA will do this moron in. Why 2 though? Did he "do" his wife also? Sick is an inadequate word.
Save us all a lot of money. Shoot them in the woods and leave their bodies to rot
sick, sick people. they look like a couple of nasty, ugly, horrid human beings.
20 years??? REALLY??? who here thinks thats two little???? they took her LIFE!! she will never get to see her son grow up, or anything else for that matter. not for 20 years.....for EVER. i think we can do better then 20 years dont you.