The entire town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont paid their respects to slain teacher, Melissa Jenkins. INSIDE EDITION has the details on the case shocking this small town.
It was a remarkable sight of an entire town turning out to pay final respects to their beloved science teacher, Melissa Jenkins. Even Vermont's Governor, Peter Shumlin, was there.
"Melissa was the kind of Vermonter that makes us all proud. Great mom, great teacher great coach," said Governor Shumlin.
As the school orchestra played, the townspeople gathered in the gym. Grief was evident on every face.
Jenkins was first reported missing last week, her car found abandoned on a country road, with her two-year-old son Ty asleep in the backseat.
The people of St. Johnsbury were stunned. What had happened to Miss Jenkins? Were was she?
Concern quickly turned to grief when the body of the 33-year-old teacher was discovered in a shallow river.
But Miss Jenkins had left clues from beyond the grave and in short order, police were zeroing in on Alan Prue. He used to plow Jenkins driveway. Cops say he got his wife Patricia to call Jenkins asking for help because her car had broken down.
When Jenkins got that call from the Prues, she met them near a river where she said their car had broken down. But acting on her suspicions about Alan Prue, she did something else which helped police quickly catch her alleged killers. She also called a friend and told them who she was meeting and where.
Miss Jenkins drove to the Prues with her two-year-old son Ty in the back seat. Alan Prue, who is said to be obsessed with Jenkins, allegedly strangled the teacher with his bare hands. Ty described the attack to police, saying his mommy cried after a man grabbed her by the neck.
Prue and his wife allegedly brought the body back to their trailer home, where they stripped off Jenkins clothes and poured bleach over her.
The Prues live with Alan's mother, Donna.
INSIDE EDITION's Les Trent asked Donna, "They say they brought the body back here."
Donna said, "I wasn't home, I was somewhere else that day."
Trent asked, "Did you see any evidence of them being here?"
"Nope," responded Donna. She continued and said, "I don't believe he did it. I love my son, I'm going to stick through this with him. I'm not turning my back on him."
The Prues have been arrested and have pled not guilty.
Close friend Marion Cairns remembers Jenkins as a sweet, loving soul whose good heart got her killed.
"Very pretty, lovable, great personality, do anything for anyone. As you can see that didn't turn out very well," said Cairns.
