A man, John Carey, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for the murder of a college student nearly 40 years ago. The victim, Claire Gravell, was a student at Salem State University. Carey, 66, was found guilty of first-degree murder on March 3.
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker expressed relief, stating that Gravell’s family has sought justice for four decades. “The prosecutors and law enforcement involved never gave up on Claire’s case, and we’re glad the family finally has some closure,” he remarked.
Carey was already serving a sentence for an unrelated crime from 2008 when charges for Gravell’s murder were brought against him.
The tragic event took place on June 29, 1986, when Gravell was last seen after a night out with her softball team at a pub in Salem. She was dropped off at an apartment around 1:30 a.m., and her body was discovered two days later in the woods.
For years, the case remained open until investigators matched Carey’s DNA to evidence found on Gravell’s tank top, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
During the trial, Assistant District Attorney Kim Faitela commented on the significance of the DNA evidence, noting it served as a “genetic blueprint for the murder weapon.” Interestingly, at the time of his arrest, Carey was already imprisoned for attempting to strangle another woman.
