This article is by Todd Wellington of The Caledonian Record, in which it was first published Dec. 18, 2014.
ST. JOHNSBURY — Allen Prue maintained his innocence to the end insisting one last, desperate time during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday that it was his wife, Patricia Prue, who had single-handedly kidnapped and murdered Melissa Jenkins on March 25, 2012.
But his courtroom plea from the defense table where he sat unshaven, handcuffed and wearing a lime green prison uniform did little to convince Judge Robert Bent.
Prue, 32, was convicted by a jury in October of first degree murder, attempted kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the murder of Jenkins, 33, a well-liked St. Johnsbury Academy teacher.
Wednesday, Bent sentenced Prue to life in prison for the attempted kidnapping, 50 years to life for the murder and a five-year probated sentence for conspiracy to commit murder with four years to serve and a condition that he not have contact with Patricia Prue while either of their cases are still pending.
The state had asked the court for a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder and a straight life sentence for the kidnapping. Bent’s sentence structure means Prue will serve at least 50 years and won’t be able to argue for parole until he is 82 years old.
St. Johnsbury Academy Headmaster Tom Lovett attended the hearing with a large contingent from the school. He said the sentence reaffirmed his faith in the justice system and provided the Academy community with some much needed closure. But Lovett said it was hard to relive the pain of the Jenkins murder.
“I know that maybe I should feel some sense of gladness that this is over but all I feel is that aching sorrow,” said Lovett after the sentencing. “My hope is that the outpouring of love that we all experienced in 2012 will fill us again in this season of hope and peace. Because that is the only thing that healed us back then and is the only hope for healing now.”
The sentencing lasted all day and occurred in front of a packed courtroom dominated by the St. Johnsbury Academy group who were waiting 40 deep in the hallway when deputies opened the courtroom door just before 9 a.m. The line — including many carrying green and white Academy umbrellas — was so long it wound down two flights of stairs to the first floor below.
Caledonia County State’s Attorney Lisa Warren, in her sentencing argument, brought the conversation back to the disturbing details of the case.
“March 25, 2012, was about Allen and Patricia Prue fulfilling their obsession with Melissa Jenkins,” said Warren. “They had watched her and followed her for some time. They found her sexually attractive and they felt snubbed by her because she didn’t want Allen Prue to plow for her. They fantasized about her sexually but knew she would not agree to any such thing and as punishment they strangled her, electrocuted her, kicked her and beat her, played with her and dumped her body in the river.”
Warren had to pause momentarily as emotion crept into her voice as she talked about Jenkins’ young son who was found at the scene of his mother’s abduction, asleep in her still running car.
“There, on the side of Goss Hollow road they left two-and-half year-old Ty … a toddler … who watched as his mother fought for her life and who demonstrated for detectives how his mother had been strangled,” said Warren. “This was something no one in the Northeast Kingdom would ever have imagined could happen here.”
Allen Prue elected to address the court after the testimony as his sentencing hearing concluded.
“I feel terrible about what’s happened here,” Prue said. “I can’t imagine what Melissa’s family is going through. I just wanted to tell the court that I’m convicted of a crime that I did not commit nor did I have anything to do with it. The one thing that I am guilty of is bringing the person that did this crime to Vermont and for that I’m truly sorry … that’s it.”
Bent then left the bench to contemplate his sentencing decision in chambers. When he returned he spoke at length about the reasons why he did not believe Allen Prue’s claim of being wrongly convicted. Bent said the attack on Jenkins was “committed with suddenness and ferocity” that was better suited to the strengths of Allen Prue — a former roofer — than Patricia Prue.
“The court does conclude that the attack was primarily driven by Mr. Prue … has the strength …he’s the man who has the ability to carry multiples bundles of shingles up on a roof. He’s short in stature but he’s strong. He was able to drive her to the ground and choke her out … Ms. Jenkins was rendered senseless by Mr. Prue. … His power was essential to the success of this process.”
Patricia Prue’s murder trial is scheduled to begin in March 2015.
