Marvin McClendon was arrested in Lawrence about 35 years ago in connection with the death of 11-year-old Melissa Tremblay.
Tremblay was a New Hampshire native who lived in Salem, was slain while visiting a social club in Lawrence with her mother and mother’s boyfriend. She left the bar to perform in the surrounding neighborhoods, and on September 12, 1988, she was found stabbed to death in a freight yard off Andover Street. For more than 33 years, the case has remained unresolved.
Blodgett said evidence on the girl’s body led investigators to McClendon, but he wouldn’t go into detail, saying additional details would be revealed at the arraignment. McClendon has been a person of interest in the case “for some time,” according to the D.A.
He was accused of being a wanted criminal and is scheduled to appear in court in Alabama on Thursday. If he refuses rendition, he will be extradited to Massachusetts and charged with murder.
