"And with the money and the family connections, these kids are super well off, even by Greenwich standards." — Ashley Flowers
"I mean, I mentioned before, they didn't have a murder to investigate in the 30 years before Martha's death. So they really didn't have any good idea of what they were doing." — Ashley Flowers
"So you can see the testimony in this trial is very much kind of a he said, she said, we said, scenario with one side saying one thing, the other saying entirely different thing." — Ashley Flowers
This episode meticulously recounts the tragic murder of 15-year-old Martha Moxley on October 30, 1975, in the affluent neighborhood of Bellhaven, Greenwich, Connecticut. The initial response to Martha's disappearance and subsequent discovery of her brutalized body highlights immediate procedural challenges, exacerbated by the neighborhood's lack of experience with violent crime and its elite status. The investigation quickly focused on the Skakel family, whose children, particularly Tommy and Michael, were close to Martha and were Kennedy cousins, a connection that casts a long shadow over the inquiry.
The narrative delves into the initial suspect, Tommy Skakel, detailing inconsistencies in his alibi and the discovery of Tony Pena golf clubs, one of which was identified as the murder weapon, found in the Skakel home. Despite strong circumstantial evidence and Martha's diary entries suggesting Tommy had an unreciprocated crush on her, a lack of definitive forensic evidence and potential deference to the family's status led to no immediate arrest. The case then languished for years, only to be re-examined in the 1990s following media attention around a related Kennedy family legal matter, revealing further mishandling of the original investigation.
The focus later shifted to Michael Skakel, Tommy's younger brother. Controversial accounts, including statements made during a peculiar therapy program and a book proposal, led to his eventual arrest and trial as an adult. Despite his claims of innocence and arguments about the questionable nature of the "confession" and the investigative procedures, Michael was convicted of murder. However, his legal battle continued for years with multiple appeals and reversals, underscoring the persistent difficulties in achieving final justice for Martha Moxley, with the case's ultimate resolution remaining uncertain due to ongoing legal complexities and the lingering influence of wealth and privilege.