Michelle Gardner-Quinn

After exactly two years since the tragic death of Michelle Gardner-Quinn, justice has finally been made. Her killer has been sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole or release on good behaviour. The prosecutors could not ask for the death penalty, as Vermont does not have it yet.

The man accused of the murder is Brian L. Rooney, a 38 year old construction worker, and he claims to be not guilty although he was condemned on DNA evidence.

The victim, aged 21, was an environmental studies senior and she came in contact with Rooney in downtown Burlington, October 2006.

On the 13th of October her body was found in Huntington Gorge, Burlington; it presented signs of sexual abuse and violence and the cause of death was suffocation by strangling.

Rooney was convicted based on a video tape which proved he and the victim had interacted the night of her disappearance and also on the semen found inside the victim’s body, which showed they had sex.

Judge Michael Kupersmith sentenced Rooney to life in prison, although the family and friends would have wished to see him on death row; unfortunately Vermont law does not allow that.