Special prosecutors review evidence in Megan McDonald cold case

Two newly assigned special prosecutors introduced themselves in Town of Wallkill Court Wednesday and asked for an adjournment until June 7 to review the case, in hope of presenting it to a grand jury.

Blaise Gomez

May 3, 2023, 11:12 AM

Updated 523 days ago

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Prosecutors have three weeks to turn over evidence in the Megan McDonald case after the recent arrest of her ex-boyfriend, Edward Holley. 
Two newly assigned special prosecutors introduced themselves in Town of Wallkill Court Wednesday and asked for an adjournment until June 7 to review the case, in hope of presenting it to a grand jury. 
Holley is free without bail. The 42-year-old from Wawayanda was about to speak outside of court Wednesday when a woman he was with said “no comment.”
Holley was charged by state police last month in Megan McDonald’s murder 20 years ago. He was let go from jail last week after prosecutors said they weren’t notified by state police that an arrest was going to be made and didn’t have enough time to present the case to a grand jury within the timeframe required by law. 
Two special prosecutors were assigned after Orange County District Attorney Dave Hoovler cited a conflict with his office because he represented a second suspect who died before Hoovler was elected. 
State police say DNA advances and new evidence link Holley to the 2003 murder, but problems with the case seem to signal it might not be ironclad. 
“They are reaching at this point. I think they just wanted closure and to be quite honest with you the main suspect that I would’ve looked at would’ve been suspect No. 2, whose DNA was in the back seat of the car, to put himself in the car," said Holley's defense attorney, Paul Weber. 
State police haven’t said why they didn’t coordinate Holley’s arrest with prosecutors, who have worked closely with them on this case for two decades. 
They say they are committed to helping the prosecution during this next stage in the case to hold Holley accountable. 
Prosecutors have six months to present the case to a grand jury otherwise, the charges can be dropped - as a matter of law.