By  Seamus McGraw

(Continued)

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Cops held Rooney on unrelated sex charges as murder probe continued

The next day, as the hunt for the still missing co-ed heated up, investigators questioned Rooney, and after they decided that his answers to their questions were unsatisfactory, he quickly became the prime suspect. Their suspicions were fueled when they discovered what appeared to be fresh scratches on Rooney's back and on one of his hands, and became even more suspicious when a trained cadaver dog that had been given Michelle's scent alerted on Rooney's red Jeep. Rooney had denied giving the young woman a ride the night she vanished.

As their probe continued, police became even more alarmed when details of past allegations of sexual abuse began to surface against Rooney. His ex-wife told investigators that he been sexually abusive toward her, and authorities alleged that he had also sexually assaulted two young girls several years ago. An ex-girlfriend alleged that he had sexually assaulted her, and authorities uncovered what they said was evidence that he once solicited her slaying.

Even more troubling were allegations that on more than one occasion, Rooney was said to have used chemicals to incapacitate women before sex.

In the meantime, the search for Michelle continued. It ended on Oct. 13 when her body was recovered in a rocky gorge not far from Rooney's hometown of Richmond some 15 miles from Burlington.

An autopsy conducted on her body revealed that she had been strangled and beaten with a blunt object and there were also signs of sexual trauma, according to authorities. Investigators are still awaiting toxicology reports to determine whether any chemical agent might have been used on Michelle in the moments before her death.

But authorities decided to wait for DNA results before charging Rooney with Michelle's slaying. In the meantime, he was charged with lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor, and with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the late 1990s.

While he was in jail on those charges, authorities unearthed more allegations, and last week added charges that he had sexually assaulted a former girlfriend and had made an unsuccessful attempt to solicit her murder.

In the meantime, investigators remained mum about their probe into Michelle's death, waiting until the DNA results returned — linking Rooney, authorities claim, with a probability of one in 240 quadrillion — before charging him with murder.

Rooney's attorney, David Sleigh, told the Burlington Free Press that he intends to "contest the state's evidence with all the vigor we can muster."

Previous Page

 

 Arrest Affidavit for Brian Rooney in the Murder of Michelle Gardner-Quinn

Information Release 10-25-06 PM

Rooney Charged With Aggravated Murder of Michelle Gardner-Quinn

Suspect in Michelle Gardner-Quinn Slaying Waives Bail Hearing

Gardner-Quinn's Blood Reportedly Found on Suspect's Pants

Police Seek Witnesses in Hunt for Michelle Gardner-Quinn

Mystery Man Seen Walking With Michelle Gardner-Quinn

Search for Michelle Gardner-Quinn Stretches from Virginia to Vermont

Michelle Gardner-Quinn, Vermont Co-Ed Disappeared

Contact Seamus McGraw at seamusm@ptd.net

Seamus McGraw

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