Fifty years after 15-year-old Martha Moxley was killed in Greenwich, CT, the case still captivates the nation—spanning a 2002 conviction of Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, a 2018 reversal, a 2020 decision not to retry, and fresh attention from a new NBC podcast.
On October 30, 1975, the bludgeoned body of 15-year-old Martha Moxley was found beneath a tree steps from her home in Greenwich’s Belle Haven neighborhood. The killing—and the discovery that the weapon matched a golf club from the Skakel household across the street—launched one of America’s most scrutinized cold cases, intertwining local tragedy, celebrity notoriety, and decades of legal twists. As the 50th anniversary passes, the case remains officially unresolved but continues to generate new headlines and public debate.
From Teen’s Slaying to a National Obsession
Investigators focused early on the Skakel family, relatives of the Kennedy clan, as the community struggled to make sense of the brutality of the attack. After years of stalled leads and renewed interest sparked in the 1990s by books and reporting, Michael Skakel—Martha’s schoolmate and neighbor—was arrested in 2000 and convicted in 2002, receiving a sentence of 20 years to life.
Conviction Overturned—and No Retrial
A series of appeals reshaped the case. In 2018, Connecticut’s high court vacated Skakel’s conviction, ruling he had received ineffective assistance of counsel. Two years later, prosecutors said they would not retry him, citing challenges in proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt—leaving the crime legally unresolved.
The 50th Anniversary Rekindles Attention
Local retrospectives have traced key milestones from the 1975 homicide through the courtroom reversals, while national outlets note how the unsolved status still haunts friends and investigators. The anniversary has also coincided with a new 12-part NBC News Studios podcast, “Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder,” featuring first-ever interviews with Michael Skakel and fresh perspectives from people close to the case.
Where the Case Stands Now
Though Skakel has maintained his innocence—and even sued local authorities alleging misconduct—the state’s 2020 choice not to retry him closed the door on further prosecution for now. With renewed media scrutiny, however, the Moxley case remains part of America’s true-crime lexicon, emblematic of how high-profile investigations can stretch across generations without definitive courtroom closure.
