Attorneys give opening statements in McGuire trial
State says murder was due to an affair, admits circumstantial evidence
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

The long-awaited trial has begun for the 34-year-old former fertility clinic nurse accused of killing her husband in their Woodbridge Center Plaza apartment and later dismembering his body, more than two years ago.

Assistant Attorney General Patricia Previoso and Stephen Turano, one of the three defense attorneys for Melanie McGuire, began the trial with their opening statements, lasting all morning.

Previoso detailed why the state believed McGuire killed her husband, William McGuire, who was 39 at the time of his death.

"It took William 'Billy' and Melanie McGuire four years to purchase their new home in Warren county," Previoso told the jury. "But Billy and Melanie never moved into their new home because the defendant was having an affair and was very much in love with someone else."

During pretrial hearings, the court was made aware of an alleged affair between the defendant and her boss, Dr. Bradley Miller, at the Morristown fertility clinic where she previously worked.

"She was planning [William McGuire's] death," Previoso said. "He was last seen alive in their Woodbridge apartment."

William McGuire's remains were found in suitcases floating in the Chesapeake Bay.

The prosecution said that the first small, dark green Kenneth Cole Reaction carry-on suitcase, which the jury heard contained the legs - cut from the knees down - of the deceased, was found floating in the water between the fourth island and the high-rise bridge near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel at 11:30 a.m. on May 5, 2004.

The second matching suitcase, which the jury heard contained the torso of the deceased, was discovered almost a week later on May 11. The third suitcase, a 20-inch, contained the midsection of the deceased found on May 16.

"An HCSC medical blanket was found in the second suitcase," said Previoso. "The defendant worked in a fertility clinic where these blankets are found and many of the HCSC blankets were found in their Woodbridge apartment."

Although Previoso said most of the state's evidence is completely circumstantial, meaning there is no witness that can confirm McGuire to be the murderer, she told the jury that "the evidence clearly and absolutely, beyond a reasonable doubt, says McGuire participated in the killing and the dismembering of William McGuire."

"I say participated because the state believes that she [Melanie] likely was helped," Previoso said.

Also, Previoso reminded the jury that McGuire is not on trial for having an affair, but she wants the jury to pay attention to the actions of the defendant.

The state believes that the affair is one of the factors that led to the murder of William McGuire.

"Actions speak louder than words," said Previoso. "The affair began when Melanie was pregnant with Billy's youngest son."

Turano told the jury to keep an open mind.

"The state's case is speculation upon speculation," Turano said. "This has been a three-year investigation but the state doesn't know where William McGuire was murdered, what time he was murdered and how he was murdered."

Turano said McGuire had no reason to kill her husband.

"She wanted her children to have a father," Turano said. "There was no financial incentive, William's life insurance policy totaled $225,000, which Melanie has not accessed."

The jury heard from three of the state's witnesses, Master Police Officer John Runge, of the Special Operations Marine Patrol for Virgina Beach, Jeanine Hall, a homicide detective from Virginia Beach, and Elizabeth Dunton, a crime scene supervisor for the forensics unit of Virginia Beach.

The luggage was presented in court and the jury was shown pictures of the luggage being recovered and the legs of the victim.

Runge was on marine patrol when he received a call about someone finding the floating luggage. He said that he observed a dark green suitcase, pulled it onto his boat and opened the suitcase. Inside the suitcase, Runge testified that he found small black trash bags containing the legs of the victim.

Runge testified that he then notified Virginia Beach homicide unit and Hall was dispatched to the scene.

Hall said that she observed that the legs were not discolored or decomposing.

All three testified that the cases did not look damaged or that they had been in the water long.

When the jury was being told of the state of William McGuire's body, particularly his severed legs, McGuire could be seen reaching for a tissue.

Dunton's testimony was expected to continue on Tuesday. The trial is expected to continue for four to six weeks.

McGuire resides in Brick Township and remains free on $2.1 million bail.