The Martha Moxley Murder: A Half-Century Old Mystery

Fifty years ago, a shocking crime shook the quiet town of Belle Haven in Greenwich, Connecticut. Fifteen-year-old Martha Moxley was found dead under a pine tree in her backyard. She had been brutally attacked with a golf club and a piece of it. Her pants and underwear were pulled down, but there was no sign of sexual assault. This crime was rare in such a wealthy and peaceful area. The case took a long time to solve. It was 27 years before Michael Skakel, a neighbor and relative of the Kennedy family, was convicted. But in 2018, his conviction was overturned, leaving the case unsolved and full of questions. Now, a new podcast from NBC News Studios and Highly Replaceable Productions is looking at the case again. The podcast, called Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder, is hosted by journalist Andrew Goldman. He has access to case materials and interviews with people close to the Moxley and Skakel families, including Michael Skakel himself. Goldman's investigation took over a decade. He had to deal with faded memories and the loss of some key figures. He also had to earn the trust of Michael Skakel, who had been portrayed negatively in the media. Goldman found Skakel to be different from his media image. He described him as funny, damaged, and honest. The podcast also looks at how the investigation was difficult from the start. The police had many theories but no solid suspects. The Skakel brothers, Thomas and Michael, became suspects because the golf club used in the murder belonged to their family. The case went cold until the 1990s when two books and a new investigation revived it. Michael Skakel was finally charged in 2000 and convicted in 2002. He was released on bond in 2013 after his conviction was overturned, and the state decided not to retry him in 2020. Goldman had access to Skakel's entire case file, which gave him more information than other commentators. He found the case to be complex and full of twists. The podcast challenges the usual narrative and humanizes Skakel, showing him as someone who faced a tough upbringing, addiction, and institutional abuse. The podcast premieres on Nov. 4, with new episodes available weekly. It promises to be a gripping tale that will challenge listeners' impressions of the case and its main suspect.