Who killed Martha Moxley? Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's whereabouts explored ahead of CBS' 48 Hours

The 1975 murder of Connecticut teen Martha Moxley is the subject of CBS' upcoming episode of 48 Hours, which will air on June 4, 2022. The tragic murder sent shockwaves through the peaceful community of Belle Haven and Connecticut. In this article, we will discuss who killed Martha Moxley and several important details pertaining to the killer.

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How was Martha Moxley killed?

On October 30, 1975, Martha Moxley went to hang out at the neighboring Skakel residence. The Skakels were a prominent family known for their connection with the Kennedys — Rushton Skakel's sister is the widow of former US Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Moxley spent time with Rushton Skakel and Anne Reynold's sons, Thomas and Michael Skakel, that evening. However, things took a shocking turn next morning when Moxley was found dead under a tree at the Skakel residence. Police soon arrived at the scene and began the investigation. The autopsy report revealed Moxley had been struck and stabbed with a golf club.

Authorities began looking into the Skakel family straightaway as Moxley was last seen with Thomas Skakel, who became the prime suspect. Thomas' brother Michael Skakel told the police that he'd gone to his cousin's house at 9.30 PM while Thomas and Moxley were at the Skakel house, and he got home at 11.30 PM. However, Thomas also had an alibi — his friend Frank Lutton said he was watching television with Thomas at around 10 PM. The case went cold after the police failed to come up with any new leads.

Decades later, it was discovered that Michael Skakel had been the killer. When another prominent member of the Kennedy family, William Kennedy Smith, was tried — and later acquitted — for r*pe, rumors about Smith being involved in the murder emerged. Michael Skakel's father hired a private detective agency soon after and discovered inconsistencies in Michael's story. On the fateful night, Michael had gone to Martha's house inebriated, climbed a tree just outside her window and m*sturbated.

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Was Michael Skakel convicted? Trial, whereabouts and more

Much later, in a significant development, a former student at a reform school attended by Michael in the late 70s claimed that Michael had confessed to Moxley's murder. A one-person grand jury conducted an investigation into the case, and subsequently, Michael was charged with murder in 2000. He surrendered to the police after an arrest warrant was issued.

The resulting trial concluded with Michael being sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the murder of Martha Moxley. After several appeals over the years, Skakel was granted a new trial after the court ruled that he had not received adequate legal representation. He was released from prison on a $1.2 million bond and several other conditions, including a GPS surveillance.

Three years down the line, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the conviction. However, as the defense continued to fight the conviction, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier decision in 2019 and voided Skakel's conviction. In 2020, Connecticut's Chief States Attorney announced that Michael would not receive a retrial. Michael has stayed away from the media and the public eye, and it is not known where he currently resides.

You can watch CBS' 48 Hours - The Diary of Martha Moxley on June 4, 2022.