On the Trail of a Killer
The Murder of Megan McDonald
During production of this episode of an unsolved homicide, New York State Police made an arrest. But the circumstances of the investigation were so intriguing, APB Cold Case producers felt compelled to share the story. At the time of the release of this podcast, the case against the suspect was still pending in court, so we remind our readers and listeners that he is presumed innocent unless found guilty in court.
It was on Thursday, March 13, 2003 when 20-year-old Megan McDonald started her day in her new apartment on Karen Road[1] in Wallkill, New York. She went to her job at the American Café at the nearby Galleria Mall where she worked as a waitress. She was scheduled to work the following day, but never showed up, something very uncharacteristic for Megan. A flurry of calls from her friends and mother began – but there was no answer.[2]
On March 14, 2003, Megan’s bludgeoned body was found in a remote field less than 5 miles from her home.[3] [4] The autopsy reveals that Megan suffered multiple skull fractures and brain injuries due to blunt force trauma.[5] This was devastating news to Megan’s friends, and to her family who were still reeling from the sudden loss of Megan’s father from a heart attack the year before.
The New York State Police immediately begin an investigation, starting at the scene where her body was discovered. As police retrace her last known movements, they found that she worked until 3:30 PM on March 13. After she left work Megan went to the HSBC Bank in Wallkill where she made a deposit, something that State Police said was very significant to the timeline. Police were not sure where she went after 3:30 PM, but they say that Megan was next seen pulling up to a party on Greenway Terrace around 7:00 PM, but she did not get out of her car. Police said that Megan knew her ex-boyfriend was inside at the party, and she did not want to see him.[6] Megan headed off to another party in nearby Middletown until around midnight when she left and drove back toward the party at Greenway Terrace. Court papers say that Megan had been looking for marijuana during the evening, and noted that she stopped at a gas station to pick up a “Dutch”, a cigar that can be used to smoke marijuana.[7] Among a series of calls police found on Megan’s phone were several calls from a subject identified by police as “Suspect #2.” At about 12:25 AM Megan pulled up to Suspect #2’s residence on Cindy Lane (Wallkill) and Suspect #2 gets into the front seat of her car. He tells Megan he does not have marijuana but that they will drive to Edward Holley to get it.[8] It turns out that Holley was the ex-boyfriend who Megan was avoiding at the Greenway Terrace party earlier.[9] Megan and Edward Holley had been involved in a romantic relationship according to police reports, and they say that Megan tried to end the relationship several days before her murder.[10] According to the paperwork filed in court, police infer that it was a last resort that Megan got, or intended to get, marijuana from Holley. Around the same time when Megan is meeting with Suspect #2, a witness identified seeing what is believed to be Megan’s car being followed by a dark Honda Civic hatchback with a loud stereo. Witnesses later told police that Holley drove that type of car with a very loud sound system.[11] Earlier last year and prior to the arrest of Holley, state police told APB Cold Case, “there is a major significance to the hatchback… this is our suspect.” Court papers also reveal that Megan, Edward Holley and Suspect #2 were together at “key locations” on the night of Megan’s murder.[12]
Although Megan’s body had been recovered on March 14, police did not know the location of her car at the time. They put out a description to the public, and a few days later, a resident of Kensington Manor Apartments in Wallkill called police with the location of Megan’s white Mercury Sable. According to court documents, police said that there appeared to be a “vicious assault” that occurred in the car, with Megan being repeatedly struck in the head while sitting in the driver’s seat.[13] Court documents also say that Suspect #2 was in the car when Megan was murdered. APB Cold Case was unable to confirm the identity of Suspect #2, but police have said that he died the same year that he gave information to police. One published report infers a possible suicide in that Suspect #2 was “wracked by guilt” over Megan’s murder.[14]
Police told APB Cold Case that the suspect, Edward Holley, had a strong grip on his close circle of friends in the early years of the investigation. State Police Lt. Brad Natalizio said, “That is no longer the case.”
On April 20, 2023, State Police arrested Edward Holley for murder of Megan McDonald. What do police allege to have been Edward Holley’s motive for killing Megan? Court documents say that Holley was infatuated with Megan, and that he was possessive and jealous. Lt. Natalizio previously mentioned to APB Cold Case that there was “major significance” to Megan making a deposit at HSBC Bank the day before she was murdered. Just a few days before her murder, her account was overdrawn by more than $800. This was also uncharacteristic of Megan – it was the first time she had overdrawn her account. Holley reportedly owed Megan money – Holley said $300, another source said it was $3000.[15] Could this have been another stressor in their relationship? Police also said in court filings that they found both Megan’s and Edward Holley’s DNA on her cell phone and perhaps Holley saw Megan’s outgoing calls to her new boyfriend, causing Holley to go into a rage. Police also detected Holley’s DNA in the back seat of Megan’s car.[16] And the location where Megan’s car was recovered, was within 500 feet of Holley’s residence.[17]
During the course of the police investigation they interviewed Edward Holley of different occasions. State Police said that Holley’s stories and alibis were contradictory at times, or disproven by other witnesses; and police said that Holley tried to guide three witnesses to not cooperate with police.[18]
Immediately following the arrest of Holley, District Attorney David M. Hoovler released an announcement saying the arrest was made without consultation with the District Attorney’s office. Hoovler said, “The District Attorney’s Office has been tirelessly working with the New York State Police, and other law enforcement officials on the investigation of Megan McDonald’s homicide since March of 2003. That cooperation has included devoting investigative resources, making applications for court orders to obtain evidence, funding scientific testing and paying for other investigative avenues designed to facilitate a viable prosecution of the individual who killed Megan McDonald. In the past few months, a Senior Assistant District Attorney has been working extremely closely with New York State Police Investigators on this matter. On April 20, 2023, at approximately 10:45 AM, the New York State Police informed the District Attorney’s Office an arrest had been made in the case and they were holding a press conference at 2:00 PM. It is a better practice, and has long been customary in Orange County, for police agencies working on complex matters with our Office to consult with the District Attorney’s Office prior to formally filing charges. Indeed, in this case, the District Attorney’s Office had previously been informed by the New York State Police that no arrest would be made without prior consultation with our Office.”[19]
District Attorney Hoovler also said, “An arrest, as a matter of law, automatically vests defendants with more rights than they enjoy as subjects of an investigation. This includes the right to review investigative materials and items of evidence.”[20]
New York State law requires that a defendant who is held in custody be indicted within 6 days; otherwise, the defendant must be released from custody.[21] The District Attorney expressed concern that a grand jury presentation of a cold case as this could not be completed within 6 days without prior coordination. Hoovler said, “The preferred practice is for police agencies to coordinate with prosecutors on serious cases.”[22]
The following week, the District Attorney said he would not be going forward with a preliminary hearing on the murder, and the judge ordered that Holley would be released on his own recognizance once he finished a sentence on an unrelated drug charge.[23] Hoovler also recused himself from the case, citing a conflict of interest.. According to the Middletown Times-Herald Record, prior to being elected District Attorney, Hoovler had represented a client who claimed to possibly having information about Megan McDonald’s death.[24] Special counsel was assigned to the prosecution of Holley, and his case remains pending in court.
Although state police have made an arrest, you can still share your tips and information. If you have a piece of the puzzle that can help investigators regarding the murder of Megan McDonald, call the New York State Police Major Crime confidential hotline at 845-344-5370. And check our show notes for a timeline, map, and pictures at apbcoldcase.com.
PODCAST LINK
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[1] New York State felony complaint; page 3, item 17; 4/19/2023
[2] Ibid; p. 6, item 26; 4/19/2023
[3] Ibid; p. 2, item 41; 4/19/2023
[4] Ibid; p. 12, item 41
[5] Ibid; p. 7
[6] Ibid; p. 3, item 9
[7] Ibid; pp. 4-5, items 15-16
[8] Ibid; p. 5, item 20
[9] Ibid; pp. 3, 4, 5; 4/19/2023
[10] Ibid; p. 9, item 36; 4/19/2023
[11] Ibid; p. 6, items 21-25
[12] Ibid; item 39
[13] Ibid; p. 14. Item 43; and p. 8, item33
[14] Megan McDonald: State Police never closer to an arrest than now; Peter D. Kramer, Gannett News; Mar. 10, 2022
[15] New York State Police felony complaint; p. 8, item #35
[16] Ibid; p. 14, item 43
[17] Ibid; p. 15, item 44
[18] Ibid; p. 16, item 26
[19] Orange County District Attorney’s Office; press release; April 20, 2023
[20] Ibid
[21] New York State Criminal Procedure Law, Section 180.80
[22] Orange County District Attorney’s Office; press release; April 20, 2023
[23] Ed Holley back in court in Megan McDonald murder case. Middletown Times-Herald Record; Peter D. Kramer, Aug. 23, 2023
[24] Ibid