A Gresham man was convicted of a 1978 Alaska murder, bringing a decades-old cold case to a close. The case concerned the murder of a person in Alaska, and developments in forensic technology were critical in identifying and apprehending the defendant. After years of doubt, the conviction provided closure to the victim’s family and highlighted continued attempts to solve cold cases using modern investigative tools.
Photo from: KGW
Gresham Man Found Guilty in Anchorage Teen’s Death
On Tuesday, a Gresham man named Don McQuade was found guilty of killing Anchorage girl Shelly Connolly in 1978. After a 40-year cold case led investigators to McQuade’s residence, he was taken into custody in 2019. Connolly had been raped, strangled, and beaten when he was discovered dead off a highway in January 1978.
Throughout the trial, McQuade insisted on his innocence, but his lawyers contended that there wasn’t enough proof.
Following three years of waiting for McQuade’s day in court, the trial took place. Richard, his brother, is adamant about Don’s innocence, saying that he has lived a full life, reared a family, and never shown cruel conduct.
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Despite Maintaining Innocence, Gresham Man Convicted
Even though Richard insists his brother is innocent, he shows compassion for the sufferer and acknowledges the tragedy of Connolly’s early life.
McQuade was on bail during the trial, living with his wife and in-laws. However, following his conviction, he was escorted out of an Alaskan courthouse in handcuffs. The prosecution is relieved to have obtained a conviction, bringing an end to a difficult chapter in the decades-old cold case.
Connolly’s death, which occurred after she was last seen alive in an Anchorage pub and restaurant in January 1978, was the focus of the trial.
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