Melissa Jenkins Autopsy Reveals Vermont School Teacher Was Murdered by Strangulation! Her 2 year old son was unhurt/Patricia & Allen Prue arrested for her murder, Patricia chged w/ agg murder, Allen chged w/ 1st degree murder

Police are searching for a missing Vermont mother whose vehicle was found abandoned Sunday along the side of a road with her 2-year-old son inside.
The SUV belonging to 33-year-old Melissa Jenkins, of Danville, Vt., was discovered Sunday along Goss Hollow Road in St. Johnsbury, not far from the woman's home, Vermont State Police Lt. Bob Cushing told FoxNews.com.
Jenkins' young son was found, unharmed, inside the 2006 silver Suzuki.
Cushing said authorities found evidence indicating the woman's disappearance is potentially suspicious, but he declined to elaborate on what was discovered. He noted that the vehicle was not out of gas.
"Right now, we're treating this as a missing persons case," Cushing told FoxNews.com. "But that can change, obviously."
"Everything is under investigation," he said.
Jenkins, who is not married, lived alone with her son, though she often stayed with her mother, according to authorities.
Jenkins is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds. She has blond hair and hazel eyes.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is being urged to call the Vermont State Police at 802-748-3111.

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Police say missing St. J woman victim of foul play
Posted: Mar 26, 2012 5:11 AM CDT
Updated: Mar 26, 2012 11:12 AM CDT
By WCAX News

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) - Vermont State Police investigators believe a missing woman whose 2-year-old son was found alone in her SUV with the engine running is a victim of foul play.

Police said 33-year-old Melissa Jenkins of St. Johnsbury has been missing since Sunday night. A friend who was looking for her called police, who say evidence from the scene indicates there was a struggle.

The SUV was found a short distance away from Jenkins' home. A relative believes she was trying to help someone at the time.

The Vermont Air National Guard is searching for Jenkins by helicopter and police are using search dogs.

Jenkins is a single parent who teaches science and coaches girls' basketball at St. Johnsbury Academy. She also waitresses part-time at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville.

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ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (WTW) — Vermont State Police investigators said Monday they believe a missing high school science teacher whose 2-year-old son was found alone in her SUV with the engine running is a victim of foul play.

Police said Melissa Jenkins of St. Johnsbury, 33, has been missing since Sunday night. A friend who was looking for her called police, who said evidence from the scene indicates there was a struggle.

The SUV, which was running with Jenkins' son inside, was found a short distance away from her home. Police have blocked off the home. A friend is caring for the boy.

The Vermont Air National Guard was searching for Jenkins by helicopter and police were using search dogs.

Jenkins is a single parent who teaches science and coaches girls' freshman basketball at St. Johnsbury Academy. She also waitresses part-time at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville. She graduated from Lyndon State College with a degree in natural science/geology.

Eric Berry of Lyndonville, 44, who said Jenkins is godmother to his daughter, described Jenkins as a kind person who loves her son. He believes she was coming to someone's aid when she disappeared.

"She left her house with the idea of trying to help someone," he said.

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Body found believed to be missing Vermont mother, police say

Police say a body found Monday is believed to be that of a missing Vermont teacher whose SUV was discovered abandoned a day earlier with her 2-year-old son inside.
Melissa Jenkins, a 33-year-old single mother, taught science at the prestigious St. Johnsbury Academy, a school of about 970 students that was established in the 1840s and whose alumni include former President Calvin Coolidge.
Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo would not give details on the condition of the body found Monday in Barnet, a town not far from St. Johnsbury. A friend who was looking for Jenkins called police Sunday and Jenkins' vehicle was discovered that evening near signs of a struggle.
An autopsy was planned for Tuesday. A family friend is caring for Jenkins' 2-year-old son, who was found unharmed in the vehicle. The boy's father, B.J. Robertson, would not comment on Jenkins' disappearance. Police said the woman had no restraining orders out on anyone.
Jenkins' 2006 silver Suzuki was found at 11:30 p.m. Sunday along Goss Hollow Road in St. Johnsbury, not far from the woman's home, Vermont State Police Lt. Bob Cushing told FoxNews.com. The engine was running and Jenkins' young son was found inside.
"Responding troopers observed evidence at the scene to indicate that Ms. Jenkins' disappearance is the result of foul play as evidence present showed signs that a struggle had occurred," Detective Sgt. Walter Smith said in a press release Monday.
Cushing confirmed to FoxNews.com that authorities found suspicious evidence, but he declined to elaborate on what was discovered. He noted that the vehicle was not out of gas.
Jenkins was a girls freshman basketball coach and a dorm proctor until she had her son. She graduated from Lyndon State College with a degree in natural science and geology. She was working on her master's degree, headmaster Tom Lovett said.
"She's got a real gift with students who either haven't liked science before or learning science doesn't come easy to them," Lovett said. "She's got a real gift with them."
St. Johnsbury Academy also serves as a public school for the town, about 40 miles south of the Canadian border.
Jenkins was a waitress at night at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville, the eatery where co-workers, friends and the father of Jenkins' son gathered Monday afternoon along with others who were curious or concerned.
"We all know her. It's a tough thing right now," said Marion Cairns, the owner, who described Jenkins as bright, pretty, a good mother and fun to be around. "She'd cut her arms off before she'd let anybody touch that boy. I mean, that boy meant everything to her."
Eric Berry, 44, of Lyndonville, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, described her as a beautiful, kind person whom he believes was coming to someone's aid when she disappeared.
"She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody, and that's as far as I'm going to go with that because I don't want to damage any investigation," he said.
The academy will provide counseling to grieving students, Lovett said.
The disappearance recalled that of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer of Portland, Maine, whose car was found idling with its hazard lights on, her 14-month-old daughter unharmed, a year ago about 50 miles away in New Hampshire. Dittmeyer's body was found in a pond. Three men were arrested on charges in her robbery and killing.
Authorities said Monday there is no indication the cases are related.

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Another poor little boy without his loving mother...

Associated Press | Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 5:14 am | (0) comments.

The discovery of a body believed to be that of a beloved teacher at a prestigious boarding school sent shudders of grief and anxiety through a small New England town a day after her SUV was found running with her unharmed 2-year-old boy inside.

Melissa Jenkins, a 33-year-old single mother, taught science at St. Johnsbury Academy, a school of about 970 students that was established in the 1840s and whose alumni include former President Calvin Coolidge.

Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo would not give details on the condition of the body found Monday in Barnet, a town not far St. Johnsbury. A friend who was looking for Jenkins called police Sunday and Jenkins' vehicle was discovered that evening near signs of a struggle.

An autopsy was planned for Tuesday. A family friend is caring for the boy. His father, B.J. Robertson, would not comment on Jenkins' disappearance.

Authorities acknowledged they did not know whether Jenkins' disappearance was isolated, and Ledo said at a news conference that the public should be vigilant as authorities continue to seek a suspect.

Throughout the day, townsfolk converged at the restaurant where Jenkins worked part-time, seeking solace and updates. As they braved bone-chilling winds for an evening candlelight service, news about the discovery of the body began filtering through the crowd.

"She would do anything for anybody. She definitely will be greatly missed," said Ron Craig, of Peacham, who said he and his wife occasionally babysat Jenkins' son.

Craig said it's scary that police did not know if this was an isolated incident. "We've been locking our doors all the time because you just don't know what's going to happen," he said.

Jenkins' vehicle was found not far from her home in a rural area at 11:30 p.m. Sunday. She had no restraining orders out on anyone, police said.

Jenkins was a girls freshman basketball coach and a dorm proctor until she had her son. She graduated from Lyndon State College with a degree in natural science and geology. She was working on her master's degree, headmaster Tom Lovett said.

"She's got a real gift with students who either haven't liked science before or learning science doesn't come easy to them," Lovett said. "She's got a real gift with them."

St. Johnsbury Academy also serves as a public school for the town, about 40 miles south of the Canadian border.

Jenkins was a waitress at night at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville, the eatery where co-workers, friends and the father of Jenkins' son gathered Monday afternoon along with others who were curious or concerned.

"We all know her. It's a tough thing right now," said Marion Cairns, the owner, who described Jenkins as bright, pretty, a good mother and fun to be around. "She'd cut her arms off before she'd let anybody touch that boy. I mean, that boy meant everything to her."

Eric Berry, 44, of Lyndonville, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, described her as a beautiful, kind person whom he believes was coming to someone's aid when she disappeared.
"She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody, and that's as far as I'm going to go with that because I don't want to damage any investigation," he said.

The academy will provide counseling to grieving students, Lovett said.

The disappearance recalled that of 20-year-old Krista Dittmeyer of Portland, Maine, whose car was found idling with its hazard lights on, her 14-month-old daughter unharmed, a year ago about 50 miles away in New Hampshire. Dittmeyer's body was found in a pond. Three men were arrested on charges in her robbery and killing.

Authorities said Monday there is no indication the cases were related.

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Body of beloved Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins is found

Vermont police believe they have found the body of a 33-year-old school teacher who had been reported missing.

Melissa Jenkins, a single mom, hadn't been seen since Sunday night. Monday afternoon, Vermont state police were searching along a remote road when they noticed a wooded section that appeared to have been disturbed.
After a brief search, detectives found a body in the woods.

“The body recovered this afternoon is believed to be that of Ms. Jenkins. However, a positive identification of the body will not be made until an autopsy is performed,” said an official.

Jenkins, the mother of a two-year-old boy, taught science and used to coach basketball at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont. The boy's father, B.J. Robertson, would not comment on Jenkins' disappearance.

"She's got a real gift with students who either haven't liked science before or learning science doesn't come easy to them," headmaster Tom Lovett said. "She's got a real gift with them.

One of Jenkins' friends found her SUV Sunday night not far from her home. Investigators say the engine was still running, and her 2-year-old son was in the back seat. Jenkins was nowhere to be found.

Vermont state police say there were signs of a struggle but they wouldn't go into further detail.

After an extensive missing persons search that lasted less than 24 hours, police have now focused all of their attention on searching for Jenkins’ killer.

“Although I cannot disclose the details of how the body was found, or the condition of the body, this death is considered suspicious,” said an official.

A family friend said Jenkins left her home that night to meet up and help someone out.

"She would do anything for anybody. She definitely will be greatly missed," Ron Craig, of Peacham, told the Associated Press.

Craig, who said he and his wife occasionally babysat Jenkins' son, said it's scary that police did not know if this was an isolated incident. "We've been locking our doors all the time because you just don't know what's going to happen," he said.

Police believed the crime occurred sometime between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Sunday night.

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Police are urging members of a small New England town to be vigilant as they hunt for a killer following the discovery of a body believed to be a missing Vermont teacher.
The body, likely to be 33-year-old Melissa Jenkins, was found Monday in Barnet, Vt., a day after her SUV was discovered abandoned along a road with its engine still running and her 2-year-old son inside, unharmed, police said.
Authorities are now asking residents of surrounding towns, including St. Johnsbury, where Jenkins worked as a teacher, to be cautious as investigators search for the killer or killers.
"We don't know if it's an isolated incident," Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said during a press conference Monday. "We expect the public to use all diligence and vigilance while out and about."

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VSP Press Release - Update on Missing St. Johnsbury Mom
Barrack:
St. Johnsbury
STATE OF VERMONT
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
DIVISION OF STATE POLICE
ST. JOHNSBURY BARRACKS

** PRESS RELEASE **
DATE OF RELEASE: March 26, 2012
Det. Sgt. Walter Smith, St. Johnsbury Barracks
DATE & TIME OF INCIDENT: March 25 th , 2012 @ 2300 hours
LOCATION: Goss Hollow Road, St. Johnsbury
Melissa Jenkins, age 33
SUMMARY OF INCIDENT: Below is a statement issued by Major Ed Ledo of the Vermont State Police at this morning’s press conference that took place at the St. Johnsbury
On March 25 at approximately 11:30 PM, Melissa Jenkins, age 33 of St. Johnsbury was reported missing by a friend. The friend who had not heard from her since approximately 08:30 PM went looking for Ms. Jenkins and discovered her vehicle at that time, a 2006 silver Suzuki Grand Vitara, parked alongside Goss Hollow Road in St. Johnsbury, a short distance from Ms. Jenkins’ residence. Ms. Jenkins was not with the vehicle; however her 2 year old son was discovered inside the vehicle, unharmed.
Troopers from the St. Johnsbury Barracks as well as the St. Johnsbury Police Department responded and searched the immediate area including a Hardwick Police Department K-9, however Ms. Jenkins was not located. Responding Troopers observed evidence at the scene to indicate that Ms. Jenkins’ disappearance is the result of foul play as evidence present showed signs that a struggle had occurred.
Vermont State Police Detectives and the State Police Crime Scene Search Team were called in and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Ms. Jenkins’ disappearance as well as processing the scene and Ms. Jenkins’ vehicle. The Vermont Air National Guard is assisting in the search for Ms. Jenkins by providing a helicopter for air support to canvas the area. Members of the St. Johnsbury Fire Department are assisting with the search as well. At this time, Detectives are conducting interviews and following up on numerous leads. The public should expect that sections of Goss Hollow Road will be closed throughout the day while the search is being expanded and are.
Ms. Jenkins is described as a white female, approx. 5 feet 4 inches tall, approx. 130 lbs with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Ms. Jenkins is a science teacher at the St. Johnsbury
Anyone with information concerning this incident or may know Ms. Jenkins’ whereabouts should call the Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111. Police are also looking to speak with anyone who may have driven Goss Hollow road in St. Johnsbury on Sunday evening between the hours of approximately 7:00 PM and 11:30

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I would like to know WHY the father is not making a statement???

Authorities in Vermont have positively identified remains found Monday as those of Melissa Jenkins, a school teacher reported missing this weekend.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms. Jenkins and our thoughts are with her family and friends," Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said. "We remain committed to solving this case and to identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for the death of Ms. Jenkins."

Dr. Steven Shapiro, the chief medical examiner in Burlington, completed the autopsy on Jenkins' body Tuesday. Shapiro ruled the manner of death a homicide, but authorities have not revealed the cause of death.

"The cause of death is being withheld as to not inhibit the progress of the investigation," state police Detective Sgt. Walter Smith said.

State police found Jenkins' body Monday off of Comerford Dam Road in the town of Barnet. The discovery was made while investigators were checking remote pull-offs. Authorities have not elaborated further on the discovery.

Jenkins was reported missing around 11:30 p.m. Sunday by a friend who spotted the 33-year-old single mother's 2006 silver Suzuki Grand Vitara -- with its engine still running -- along Goss Hollow Road in St. Johnsbury. Jenkins' 2-year-old child was alone inside.

The location is not far from where Jenkins lives, according to Vermont State Police Capt. Dave Covell. Police said they found no sign of Jenkins, but they did find indications at the scene that she had not voluntarily left her vehicle.

Jenkins' child is in good condition and is being cared for by a family friend. The toddler's father, B.J. Robertson, said the boy has not been able to express what happened to his mother, according to ABC News.

According to Covell, Jenkins was last seen at approximately 8:30 p.m. Sunday. The friend who later located her car was the last known person to see her and became concerned when unable to locate her, police said.

Jenkins held degrees from Lyndon State College in natural science and geology. She taught high school science and coached the girls' basketball team at St. Johnsbury Academy, an independent boarding and day school. Jenkins also worked as a part-time waitress at the Creamery Restaurant in nearby Danville.

Classes at St. Johnsbury Academy were canceled Tuesday to allow students to mourn the loss of their teacher.

"[The students] have a range of emotions, just like me," headmaster Tom Lovett told Newser.com. "I'm done with the numbness and I'm done with the confusion; there's a lot of sadness and a lot of anger starting to arise."

The Vermont State Police returned Tuesday morning to the crime scene where the body was located and collected additional items of interest, but a description of the items has not been disclosed. Authorities said they anticipate continuing to secure the scene where the body was discovered through the rest of the day and possibly into Wednesday.

Meanwhile, those who knew Jenkins are still trying to understand why someone would have killed her.

"She would do anything for anybody. She definitely will be greatly missed," Ron Craig, of Peacham, who said he and his wife occasionally babysat Jenkins' son, told Trivalleycentral.com.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury at 802-748-3111. Police are also looking to speak with anyone who may have driven on Goss Hollow Road in St. Johnsbury on Sunday evening, between 7:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

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Couple charged with second-degree murder in death of Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins

A husband and wife have been charged with the murder of Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins, authorities said Wednesday.
The Vermont State police said during a news conference that Allen Prue, 30, and his wife, Patricia, 33, were charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jenkins, a 33-year-old single mother and beloved prep school teacher who authorities say was strangled.
Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said the two were also charged with improper disposal of a body and that "additional charges may be forthcoming.
The pair are being held at the Northeast Region Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury and are expected to be arraigned later Wednesday.
Ledo said the couple knew Jenkins and had snow-plowed her driveway a couple of years ago. He did not give a motive for the killing.
The Caledonian-Record reported on its website Wednesday that Allen Prue is a snowplow driver who also worked for the newspaper as a deliveryman.
"Allen Prue completed his delivery route for the Caledonian Record on both Sunday and Monday nights. Route drivers reported, however, that the Prues arrived an hour late on Sunday night," the newspaper said.
Jenkins' body was discovered Monday in Barnet, a day after her SUV was found abandoned along a dark Vermont road with its engine still running and her 2-year-old son inside, investigators said.
Vermont State Police Lt. Bob Cushing previously told FoxNews.com that police found suspicious evidence at the scene where Jenkins' car was found, suggesting a struggle took place, but he declined to elaborate on what was discovered. Cushing noted that the vehicle was not out of gas.
Jenkins taught science at the prestigious St. Johnsbury Academy, a school of about 970 students that was established in the 1840s and whose alumni include former President Calvin Coolidge. She also worked part-time as a waitress at The Creamery Restaurant in Danville.
Eric Berry, 44, of Lyndonville, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, described her as a beautiful, kind person whom he believes was coming to someone's aid when she disappeared.
"She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody, and that's as far as I'm going to go with that because I don't want to damage any investigation," he said.

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Why in the world would this couple do this?

Allen Prue and wife Patricia Prue, of Waterford, Vt., are show in these March 28, 2012 police booking photos.

Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins was strangled and police today arrested a married couple and charged them with her death, police said.

Police, however, did not give a motive for the killing during a brief news conference this morning.

Allen Prue, 30, and Patricia Prue, 33, who are husband and wife, are scheduled to be arraigned later this morning on charges of second degree murder and improper disposal of a body.

The Prues were taken into custody early today.

"They knew Ms. Jenkins and had snow plowed her driveway a few years ago," State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said.

A search warrant is being executed at the Prues' home.

Allen Prue also worked newspaper delivery man for the Caledonian Record. The newspaper reported that Prue arrived an hour late for his shift on Sunday night, around the same time Jenkins vanished.

Lemos heralded the work of police, citing their quick action and preservation of evidence that ultimately led to the two arrests.

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Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins knew couple suspected in her killing, police say

(CBS/AP) WATERFORD, Vt. - Police say slain Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins knew the married couple who were charged in connection to her death.

Pictures: Vermont school teacher Melissa Jenkins

Allen Prue, 30, and his wife Patricia Prue, 33, are facing 2nd degree murder charges and charges of improperly disposing of a body in connection to Jenkins' killing.

The Prues, who were arrested early Wednesday, are due in Vermont Superior Court later in the day. The two are being held without bail.

"They knew Miss Jenkins and had snow plowed her driveway a couple of years ago," Vermont State Police Major Ed Ledo said at a news conference Wednesday. Police did not offer a motive for the killing.

The names of the suspects were first reported by The Caledonian Record newspaper, which reports that Allen Prue was also a sub-contracted newspaper delivery person for their paper.

Both suspects are now being held at the Northeast Region Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury.

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This just gets scarier by the minute

Melissa Jenkins Was Strangled, Knew Her Alleged Killers
By ALYSSA NEWCOMB and LINSEY DAVIS | Good Morning America – 6 hours ago

Vermont teacher Melissa Jenkins was strangled and police today arrested a married couple and charged them with her death, police said.

Police, however, did not give a motive for the killing during a brief news conference this morning.

Allen Prue, 30, and Patricia Prue, 33, who are husband and wife, are scheduled to be arraigned later this morning on charges of second degree murder and improper disposal of a body.

The Prues were taken into custody early today.

"They knew Ms. Jenkins and had snow plowed her driveway a few years ago," State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said.

A search warrant is being executed at the Prues' home.
Allen Prue also worked newspaper delivery man for the Caledonian Record. The newspaper reported that Prue arrived an hour late for his shift on Sunday night, around the same time Jenkins vanished.

Lemos heralded the work of police, citing their quick action and preservation of evidence that ultimately led to the two arrests.

The body of Jenkins, 33, from St. Johnsbury, Vt., was found on a dark Vermont road Sunday night. Her SUV was found running with her 2-year-old son Ty inside.
Jenkins' vehicle was recovered Sunday evening near signs of a struggle after a friend who had been looking for the mother contacted the police.

Residents of the town of fewer than 8,000 people, which sits roughly 40 miles from the Canadian border, were stunned after her disappearance and the discovery of the body.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms. Jenkins, and our thoughts are with her family and friends," the lead investigator, Ssaid in a statement.
Eric Berry, 44, a cousin by marriage whose daughter is Jenkins' goddaughter, according to the AP, said that he believes Jenkins must have been rushing to someone's aid when she vanished.

"She left her house with the idea, I think, to try to help somebody," he said.

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What I want to know is a) How LE came to the conclusion it was this couple of degenerates that murdered her (great work, btw!!) and b) what was the motive?

I feel for her son having to re-enact how his mother died!

Wrap, another question that I have is how they were able to find her body so quickly with it being in such a remote area. LE obviously had some info from somewhere or somebody...I just had a thought. Maybe there was evidence at the scene to point them in the couple's direction, and then they were able to use their cell phone pings to find where they had been. IDK, but LE did a topnotch job on this one. So sad for her family and friends, especially that little boy who will never really know his mother who loved him so. I hope she had made prior arrangements for his care in the event of her possible untimely death.

lisette wrote:Wrap, another question that I have is how they were able to find her body so quickly with it being in such a remote area. LE obviously had some info from somewhere or somebody...I just had a thought. Maybe there was evidence at the scene to point them in the couple's direction, and then they were able to use their cell phone pings to find where they had been. IDK, but LE did a topnotch job on this one. So sad for her family and friends, especially that little boy who will never really know his mother who loved him so. I hope she had made prior arrangements for his care in the event of her possible untimely death.

I think it say's upthread that she had called her boyfriend and told him where she was going. Or, that she was going to see a couple that had snow plowed her place a few years back. Didn't even know she had a boyfriend. And, the baby's father has stayed silent.

The Daily Mail link offers quite a bit of info.

They were able to find her so quickly because she had called a friend to let them know she was going. The local news WCAX has a lot of info. They have a link to the affidavit, but I can't seem to share from my pad.

They are facing 2nd degree murder charges and charges of improperly disposing of a body.

Why 2nd degree? It sounds like they planned this and should be 1st degree--unless there's something I don't know.

The Daily Mail article above explains a lot that I hadn't heard before.

This video explains a lot:

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Waterford couple pleads not guilty in Melissa Jenkins murder

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. -
Police say it was a phone call and a business card that led investigators to the home of Allen and Patricia Prue. The couple is accused of killing high school science teacher Melissa Jenkins, 33.

Allen Prue, 30, of Waterford, was arraigned first, followed by his wife, Patricia Prue, 33. Both are charged with second-degree murder. The couple pleaded not guilty and the judge ordered them held without bail.

"Based on the affidavit in support of the charge, the court finds that the evidence of guilt is great," Vt. Superior Court Judge Kathleen Manley said.

Police say the Prues used to plow Jenkins' driveway and investigators found Allen Prue's business card on her kitchen counter. But Jenkins' apparently cut ties with the couple last fall after Allen Prue showed up drunk and asked Jenkins out on a date.

Prue's wife denies playing any role in Jenkins' murder, but according to court paperwork, Allen Prue told police his wife lured Jenkins out of her home with a phone call, saying they were having car trouble and needed her help. Allen Prue told police it was a trick and he was really out to "get a girl," presumably for romantic purposes.

"It was determined by the chief medical examiner, Dr. Stephen Shapiro, that the cause of Miss Jenkins death was the result of strangulation," Vt. State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said.

Police say Jenkins 2-year-old son saw what happened. He was found in the car on Goss Hollow Road, safe, late Sunday night.

Prue confessed to strangling Jenkins, loading her into the backseat of their car with his wife-- who he says choked her until she stopped breathing. The Prues allegedly took Jenkins back to their home on Old County Road in Waterford, laid her on a tarp and stripped off her clothing, as well as their own. Allen told police he doused Jenkins' beaten body with bleach before weighing her down with cinder blocks and dumping her in a shallow part of the Connecticut River in Barnet. He told police he burned all the clothes.

"That's pretty shocking. I would have never guessed anything like that," said Ed Poginy, who owns a local deli.

The gruesome details of Jenkins' murder is just too much for some in town.

"It's hard to deal with," said Robert Jenks of St. Johnsbury. "It is."

For now they're taking what comfort they can in the fact that the suspects in their beloved teacher's death are behind bars.

"I think it's a relief," Jenks said. "I think it kind of takes a lot of fear out of the town."

"I just hope that these people are put away forever who committed this crime," said Jeanne Hale of St. Johnsbury.

Many viewers have asked us why the Prues not charged with first-degree murder. Legal analysts tell us there would need to be evidence the crime was premeditated or committed during the commission of another felony to warrant the more severe charge. And it's possible prosecutors could up the charge at a later date.


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ST. JOHNSBURY — A snow plow driver and his wife lured a popular prep school teacher from her home by pretending their vehicle had broken down, then beat her, strangled her, stripped her body naked and threw her into the a river, court documents allege.

Allen Prue, 30, and Patricia Prue, 33, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Vermont Superior Court in St. Johnsbury to charges of second-degree murder in the slaying of Melissa Jenkins, whose SUV was found idling along a remote road Sunday with her unharmed 2-year-old son inside. The Prues were ordered held without bail.

Allen Prue and his wife wanted to "get a girl" on Sunday night, although the couple "didn't plan to get one forcefully," according to court documents. Everytime I read this, I think "WTH?" What does "get a girl" mean? A threeome? OMG! And, WHY would they pick this lovely woman? Why not just go pick up a hooker?

"They knew Miss Jenkins and had snow-plowed her driveway a couple of years ago," Vermont State Police Maj. Ed Ledo said at a news conference earlier in the day at which he announced the arrests.

“It appears that this was sexually motivated,” Caledonia County State’s Attorney Lisa Warren said.

Investigators wrote in sworn court papers that Jenkins' body was found bound, naked and weighted down in shallow water in Pine Grove Park, at the site of the Comerford Reservoir off wooded Comerford Dam Road in Barnet.

Condoms and wrappers were found nearby, court papers state. So, did they rape her with a condom on? Were the condoms used! This is bizarre for lack of a better word. And, where they lived, OMG! Horrific! These people are the scum of the Earth! I think this case will be raised to Murder 1.

The police affidavit does not indicate who specifically killed Jenkins but states both Prues choked her. Warren said there was an “effort by the both of them in strangling her.”

After the court appearance, Allen Prue's mother, Donna Prue, said that her son has never been in trouble with the law before and that she has faith he didn't commit the crime.

"I do not believe he would ever do this, because he didn't have it in him. I have nothing against her (Patricia); I don't have nothing bad to say about either one," Donna Prue said.

Warren, the prosecutor, said the investigation is ongoing and replied that anything is possible when asked whether the charges against the Prues could be upgraded. In Vermont, second-degree murder is the least serious of three levels of murder charges and is punishable by 20 years to life in prison. First-degree murder, which requires proof of premeditation, carries a prison sentence of 35 years to life.

Most serious is aggravated murder, which is reserved for cases in which a killing was committed during the commission of another serious crime, such as kidnapping or sexual assault. Conviction on that count carries a maximum penalty of life in prison with no chance of parole.

That charge was applied in a high-profile Burlington case involving the 2006 slaying of University of Vermont senior Michelle Gardner Quinn. Brian Rooney, a 41-year-old construction worker, met the student in downtown Burlington when she asked for directions; he kidnapped her, drove her to the Huntington Gorge in Richmond, raped her and killed her. A jury convicted him of aggravated murder following a 2008 trial.

Police remained Wednesday afternoon at the Prue home, at a trailer on a dirt road in Waterford. Authorities have their mobile crime scene command post there, while they conduct their investigation.

Jenkins' former boyfriend told police she said that she had gotten a call from a person who used to plow her driveway and that she was going to help them, the documents say.

The ex-boyfriend told police that Allen Prue had once asked Jenkins out on a date, and that she felt uncomfortable around him.

Allen Prue later told police he and his wife were driving along the remote road when Patricia Prue called Jenkins and told her they had broken down.

The court documents describe the encounter this way:

• When the 33-year-old Jenkins arrived to help, Allen Prue grabbed her and strangled her. They then put the body in the backseat of their car and drove to their home. At some point Patricia Prue strangled Jenkins as well.

• Back at their home, they put Jenkins' body on a tarp, removed her clothes and poured bleach on her body. The Prues also removed their clothes and put them on the tarp

• They then drove to a boat access at the Connecticut River, which separates Vermont from New Hampshire, and put Jenkins' body in the water, weighing it down with blocks and concealing it with brush.

• They took the tarp and the clothes to New Hampshire where they burned it.

The names of the suspects were first reported by The Caledonian Record newspaper.

Ledo credited the FBI and other agencies for their help in the investigation, which is continuing.

Jenkins was a 33-year-old St. Johnsbury Academy science teacher. She was reported missing late Sunday night after her toddler was found alone in the idling SUV. Jenkins' body was found Monday alongside a road in the town of Barnet, about 10 miles from where Jenkins' car was found.

The death of the well-loved teacher at the school once attended by former President Calvin Coolidge shocked people in the town of 6,200 in northeastern Vermont about 40 miles south of the Canadian border.

Emotions were mixed following the arrest and charging of Allen and Patricia Prue on Wednesday. Marion Cairns, who owns The Creamery Restaurant where Jenkins worked part-time as a waitress, said anger and grief were mingling.

"I don't want to tell you what I want to do to them," Cairns said of the couple accused of committing the crime, expressing a sentiment shared throughout much of town. "It would be horrible."

Cairs said that other waitresses at the restaurant have been afraid since the abduction and death of their coworker and friend.

"At least we know we've got the people. My girls were scared to leave last night," Cairns said, adding that the reality of Jenkins' death has yet to fully hit home. "I still think she's going to bounce in here tomorrow night."

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And to think they left her son behind. Anyone could have hurt him. But, at least they did not physically hurt him..just left him with mental scars and no mother for the rest of his life. HOW could they do this? How could they do this in front of a child? It just boggles my mind!

What an unbelievably cruel couple. And no drugs involved? I expected meth to be involved but I haven't read that anywhere. So sad for that poor little boy who will remember whatever his little brain processed that night. OMG.

Vermont teacher's killing may have been 'sexually motivated'

In 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.

By Miranda Leitsinger, msnbc.com

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 two-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 her ex-boyfriend 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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This just makes me sick...I cannot understand why it happened...it makes no sense.

Posted: Jun 22, 2012 8:38 PM CDT

By LISA RATHKE
Associated Press
St. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) - Charges were upgraded Friday against a Vermont couple accused of killing a prep school teacher and dumping her body in the Connecticut River, after authorities said the couple planned the crime in advance and the wife later bragged about it to fellow jail inmates.

Allen Prue, 30, and Patricia Prue, 33, of Waterford, previously pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the March death of Melissa Jenkins of St. Johnsbury. Caledonia County State's Attorney Lisa Warren amended the charges Friday against both; Allen Prue was charged with first-degree murder, while Patricia Prue was charged with aggravated murder.

The Prues planned in advance to kill the 33-year-old single mother, buying a stun gun and prepaid cellphone before the crime, and then strangled, beat and electrocuted her, according to an affidavit signed by Vermont State Police Detective Sergeant Walter F. Smith.

A fellow inmate said Patricia Prue said the couple had picked Jenkins because they thought she was beautiful and were attracted to her, but Patricia Prue felt "socially snuffed" by her and Jenkins didn't recommend Allen Prue, a snowplow driver, for snowplowing jobs, according to Smith's affidavit. Another inmate said Patricia Prue said she had strangled Jenkins while Allen Prue sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.

Police found a ripped up note written by Patricia Prue with details of the crime, Smith said. Divers who searched the river discovered the prepaid cellphone the couple bought before the crime, and there's no evidence that it was used for any other call than to Jenkins' house the night she died, police said.

A lawyer for Patricia Prue said Friday that he would have to review the new charges with his client and could not comment, while a lawyer representing Allen Prue could not be reached for comment after normal business hours.

Police have said Allen Prue said he and his wife got the idea "to get a girl" and then lured Jenkins with a ruse about a broken down car, strangled and beat her and dumped her body in the Connecticut River in Barnet. Jenkins' SUV was found idling on her road with her 2-year-old son inside.

The Prues are due in court Tuesday for arraignment on the new charges, The Caldedonian-Record reported. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

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Another inmate said Patricia Prue said she had strangled Jenkins while Allen Prue sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.

If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

They should be strangled while being sexually assaulted.

Yesterday at 6:33 PM

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. — The Vermont couple charged with killing a St. Johnsbury teacher and dumping her naked body in the Connecticut River have written letters to each other in jail discussing the crime, a police affidavit filed in the case says.

Patricia Prue and Allen Prue wrote numerous letters to each other that were collected by police after a search of Allen Prue's jail cell, police say. The pair is accused of strangling and beating 33-year-old Melissa Jenkins, after luring her out of her house with a ruse about a broken down car in March. Jenkins' SUV was found idling on her road with her 2-year-old son inside.

An affidavit filed July 26, requesting a search of Allen Prue's cell, does not go into the particulars of the correspondence, but describes the content in general.

"I learned that since Patricia Prue and Allen Prue have been in jail, they have written letters back and forth to each other at which time they discussed and made mention of the murder of Jenkins," Vermont State Police Det. Sgt. Kelley Clark said in the affidavit accompanying the request to search Allen Prue's cell at the Northwest Correctional Facility.

Clark said the assistant superintendent at the Chittenden County Regional Correction Center, where Patricia Prue is jailed, told police that corrections officers read the incoming and outgoing mail of inmates and noticed letters between the Prues.

Similarly, in May, police said they found a ripped-up note that Patricia Prue wrote in jail with the phrases "we picked her because," ''while he beat her," and "passed out."

Police say the Waterford couple planned the crime, buying a stun gun and prepaid cellphone and driving by Jenkins' home and the dam in Barnet where police say they later dumped her body.

Patricia Prue, 33, is charged with aggravated murder, accused of killing Jenkins during a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Allen Prue, 30, is charged with first-degree murder. Both have pleaded not guilty.

In other developments, Patricia Prue's attorney has asked to have her trial moved out of Caledonia County saying the extensive media coverage of the case makes it unlikely she will get a fair trial.

Caledonia County State's Attorney Lisa Warren has not yet responded to the request, but said the motion was premature since a date has not yet been set for the trial.

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Hearing canceled in Melissa Jenkins murder case

2:57 PM, Nov 12, 2012

ST. JOHNSBURY — The next hearing in the murder case of Patricia Prue, the woman accused in the March slaying of schoolteacher Melissa Jenkins, has been canceled.

She had been scheduled to return to court Tuesday for a hearing regarding information that fellow inmates provided to the authorities on Prue’s jailhouse comments, the Caledonian-Record newspaper in St. Johnsbury reported.

A motion hearing was set for at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Vermont Superior Court in St. Johnsbury. The proceeding was not immediately rescheduled.

Patricia Prue and her husband, Allen, are accused of strangling and beating Jenkins, 33, after luring her out of her house late March 25 with a ruse about a broken-down car in March. Jenkins’ SUV was found idling on a road with her 2-year-old son inside. Her naked body was found later dumped in the Connecticut River.

Patricia Prue, 33, is charged with aggravated murder based on allegations she killed Jenkins during a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Allen Prue, 30, is charged with first-degree murder. Both have pleaded not guilty and face up to life in prison if convicted.

The trial for Patricia Prue is on track for May; Allen Prue’s case is set to be ready for trial in July, lawyers have said. Both are incarcerated pending trial.

Police say the Waterford couple got the idea “to get a girl” and planned the crime, buying a stun gun and prepaid cellphone and driving past Jenkins’ home and the dam in Barnet where the body was dumped.

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By LISA RATHKE, Associated Press
Updated 11:41 am, Sunday, March 24, 2013

ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — Nearly a year after a Vermont community was shaken by the grisly discovery that a popular young teacher had been lured from her home and killed, Melissa Jenkins' legacy lives on in memorials and in her family, students, friends and neighbors.

On Saturday, the community will gather at St. Johnsbury Academy, a prep school where she worked as a science teacher, to honor her life and celebrate her message "to love those the most who need it the most." The day before, a move is on to have students and alumni as far away as California to wear pink — Jenkins' favorite color — and the class of 2012 will decorate the town in that color.

Family members and students planned to speak at the ceremony in an effort to promote Jenkins' message keep the focus off the crime, said Tammi Cady, the school's director of development. Relatives "just want to celebrate her and what she stood for," she said.

The school has set up a memorial garden and a Jenkins Citizenship Prize awarded annually to a graduating senior who is kind, hardworking, and always willing to help, as Jenkins was.

The bond she had with the school is a sign of how much she was loved, said Marty Beattie, of Danville, who was Jenkins' uncle.

"She obviously touched all the kids' lives and faculty's lives," he said.

Around the tightknit community of Danville, where Jenkins grew up and worked at The Creamery Restaurant, people are still grieving and can't fathom the crime.

"We're just kind of resided to the fact that it was a horrible thing and we're just dealing with it on a personal level, all of us," Beattie said of the family.

The 33-year-old Jenkins, a single mother, was reported missing on March 25, 2012, after her vehicle was found idling on her rural road with her 2-year-old son inside. The next day, her nude, strangled and beaten body was found dumped in the Connecticut River in a remote spot, chilling the community where violent crime had been rare. A man who had snowplowed her driveway and his wife were arrested in the killing.

Allen and Patricia Prue of Waterford are accused of luring her out of her house with a ruse about a broken-down car, beating and strangling her. Allen Prue, 31, of Waterford, told police that he was riding around in his car with his wife when he got the idea that he wanted "to get a girl." He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, and is being held pending trial, likely in October. Patricia Prue, 34, pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated murder, accusing her of killing Jenkins during a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. Her lawyer has an August deadline to be prepared for trial.

A student at St. Johnsbury Academy who knew Jenkins and her family was so shaken up by the crime that she was determined to do something. She and her mother have set up the Melissa Jenkins Walk for Women, a network of trails and a wood-fired sauna on about 100 acres of their land in West Danville for women to walk, hike, snowshoe and cross-country ski and feel safe. They plan to add a memorial garden in honor of Jenkins near a pond in the woods, said Cheryl McQueeney.

Family and men accompanied by women are welcome, she said.

But the focus is on women: "A place where women can leave their kids with their husbands and come for an hour or two and just have fun, and laugh and feel safe," she said.

The trails were a wonderful idea, said Beattie.

"Melissa was all about happy things," he said.

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Posted: Mar 21, 2013 8:52 AM PDT
Updated: Mar 24, 2013 2:00 PM PDT

Nearly a year after the murder of a popular Vermont teacher, a court hearing was held Thursday for the Waterford couple charged with her killing.

Patricia and Allen Prue are accused of luring Melissa Jenkins from her Danville home, and then beating, sexually assaulting and strangling her.

Patricia Prue is charged with aggravated murder. Her trial is scheduled for this summer.

Allen Prue is charged with first-degree murder. His trial will now not likely happen until the fall.
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Patricia Prue

Allen Prue

Hope they throw the book at them!!

A Vermont judge on Tuesday denied a request for a new lawyer by a woman who, along with her husband, was charged with killing a popular St. Johnsbury teacher last year.
Patricia Prue formally asked the judge for a new public defender, saying her lawyer, Marc Eagle, didn’t have a defense for her. Eagle had also requested to be removed from the case, saying he and Prue have been at odds over where the case is headed but did not provide details.
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ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont man charged along with his wife in the killing of a popular St. Johnsbury teacher isn't getting a new lawyer at the moment.

A judge initially dismissed Allen and Patricia Prue's requests for new attorneys in May. Allen made a second request.

Prue and defense lawyer Dan Maguire said Thursday that Prue no longer communicates with Maguire, and that Maguire could be called as a witness against Patricia Prue.

The Prues have been charged with luring Melissa Jenkins out of her home last year and killing her before dumping her body in the Connecticut River. Both have pleaded not guilty, Allen Prue to first-degree murder; Patricia Prue to aggravated murder.

"I just don't think Mr. Maguire can ethically do his duty anymore," Allen Prue said. "I don't see any way of going around this. I just completely refuse to talk to council anymore."

Maguire said he agrees with Prue that he should withdraw, The Caledonian Record reports (http://bit.ly/178JcsX).

"It's not something I take lightly," he said.

The judge said Thursday that she wants more information and another hearing first. Caledonia Superior Court Judge Mary Miles Teachout said Allen Prue's unwillingness to communicate with Maguire is not evidence enough that their attorney-client relationship had broken down to the point that a proper defense could not be offered. She also said she wasn't sure there was a conflict of interest in Maguire's possible role as a witness against Patricia Prue.

"It does not call into question Mr. Maguire's ability to mount a defense. I don't see a conflict," she said.
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ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — A man charged with killing a prep school teacher won't testify against his wife and the inability to question him should render comments he made to police inadmissible, her lawyer says.

The lawyer for Patricia Prue filed a motion in Caledonia Superior Court asking the court to throw out statements Allen Prue made to investigators unless he testifies at her upcoming trial.

Marc Eagle, Patricia Prue's attorney, said the defense should have an opportunity to question her husband about statements he made to police. If that cannot happen, he wrote in a court filing, then Prue's statements should be tossed out, the Caledonian Record (http://bit.ly/13Fq07P) reported.

Patricia Prue, 34, and Allen Prue, 31, have both pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the March 2012 abduction and murder of Melissa Jenkins, a St. Johnsbury Academy science teacher. They are going to be tried separately.

Police say Allen Prue told investigators that Jenkins was killed after he and his wife decided to "get a girl."

If convicted both Prues could be sentenced to life in prison.
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