Dennis Dechaine case

On March 18, 1989, thirty-one-year-old Dennis Dechaine of Bowdoinham, Maine was convicted for the 1988 murder of twelve-year-old Sarah Cherry, who was abducted, tortured and found in a wooded area. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Dechaine has filed a number of appeals, maintaining that he is innocent. However, he remains incarcerated at Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine. This case is considered by many to be the most infamous crime in the state of Maine.[1][2]

Mug shot of Dennis Dechaine

Murder

On July 6, 1988, twelve-year-old Sarah Cherry was abducted while babysitting at a home in a rural part of Bowdoin, Maine. A couple of items were left in the driveway of the house (the abduction scene) that linked Dennis Dechaine, a thirty-one-year-old farmer, to the crime, such as an estimate with his name on it. Several days later, Cherry's body was found hidden in a wooded area. She had been bound with rope, assaulted sexually with birch sticks, stabbed, and then strangled with a scarf. Both the rope and scarf, as well as the items in the driveway, came from Dechaine's truck. However, Dechaine claims that the items from his truck were taken from the actual perpetrator, and were used to implicate him. Dechaine's account of that day was that he left his farm and drove to the woods to do drugs, getting lost in the process. After which, he came across an elderly couple and flagged down a police car.[1][3]

During questioning from the authorities, Dechaine lied about going fishing, his employment, and residence. According to Dechaine, he lied due to his use of illegal drugs. Dechaine's red Toyota pickup truck was found approximately 450 feet from where Cherry's body was found. Forensic analysis did not recover any evidence that Cherry had been in the truck, nor did a tracking dog.[3]

Conviction and appeals

The case went to trial in March 1989. On March 18, Dechaine was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.[4][5] Since his conviction, Dechaine has filed numerous appeals for a new trial, citing that male DNA under Sarah Cherry's fingernails did not match him.[6] In April 2014, another appeal for a new trial was denied. It argued that the DNA evidence, which was not available at Dechaine's trial, implicated someone else.[7]

In July 2015, Dechaine's appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court for a new trial was denied, concluding that the DNA evidence was insufficient.[8]

In October 2016, Dechaine's final appeal for a new trial was denied by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston.[9]

Coverage

Dechaine's case was featured on the television program, The Investigators, in 2005.[10]

A documentary entitled Murder in America: The Sarah Cherry Story was released about this case.[11]

A book entitled Human Sacrifice was released by James P. Moore on Dechaine's case in 2002.[12]

This case helped inspire the novel Death at Breakfast that was released by Beth Gutcheon in 2016.[13]

References
  1. Pam Belluck (November 28, 2005). "With Missionary Zeal, Group Fights to Free Convicted Killer in Maine Girl's Murder". nytimes.com.
  2. Matt Bryne (January 17, 2016). "After 27 years, Dennis Dechaine's supporters still trying for new trial". centralmaine.com.
  3. Trevor Maxwell (July 4, 2010). "Did Dennis Dechaine kill Sarah Cherry?". pressherald.com.
  4. "Maine man found guilty of murder". The Burlington Free Press. March 19, 1989. p. 17. Retrieved March 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Support for convicted killer grows into political campaign". Asbury Park Press. June 26, 2005. p. 87. Retrieved March 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Eric Russell (November 8, 2013). "DNA experts testify as Dennis Dechaine seeks new murder trial". pressherald.com.
  7. Dennis Hoey (April 10, 2014). "Maine convicted murderer Dennis Dechaine loses bid for new trial". pressherald.com.
  8. Eric Russell (July 21, 2015). "Door closing on long legal saga of convicted Maine killer Dennis Dechaine". pressherald.com.
  9. Matt Bryne (October 4, 2016). "Federal court rejects Dennis Dechaine's final appeal of murder conviction". pressherald.com.
  10. "The Wrong Man? Dennis Dechaine". tvguide.com.
  11. "Murder in America: The Sarah Cherry Story". tvguide.com.
  12. Poore, James (2002). Human sacrifice. Blackberry Books. ISBN 9780942396881.
  13. Jennifer Osborn (November 2, 2016). "Making a murderer: Blue Hill mystery writer inspired by Maine events". ellsworthamerican.com.
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