Haunting Tennessee Murder Finally Solved...

If you lived in Tennessee in 1975, you likely remember the tragic murder of young Marcia's Trimble. She disappeared while delivering girl scout coookies in her neighborhood. Her body was found a month later, floating in a tiny wading pool with signs of all kinds of abuse.

Today, Jerome Barrett was charged with Marcia's murder. Barrett is in custody awaiting trial for another murder. When his DNA went through Tennessee's very limited DNA clearinghouse, it matched with dna found on the girl scout. I'm just very thankful that he didn't get out of jail in the months it took for the dna to go through the system.

Marcia Trimble's murder was a horrific crime that shocked the entire state. I remember being scared when it happened. I was 10; she was just a year younger. I was a girl scout and, in the innocence of the 70s, my mom never gave a second thought to me selling cookies in my neighborhood without an adult. I think Marcia's death haunted a lot of girl scouts. For some reason, it stuck with me. As important events happened in my lifetime, Marcia would come to mind. Would Marcia have went to college? Would Marcia have been married yet? Would Marcia have kids?

The murder also changed the way girl scouts do business forever. The next year, we were only allowed to go door-to-door with a parent or troop leader. Most sales were done as group sales, sitting outside the grocery store. Since Marcia's cookies were found but the money she collected was never found, we were not allowed to carry cash.

Tonight, I hope Marcia is finally resting in peace. Her mother has released a statement thanking the police department for never giving up on this case. As for the accused, he has been charged with murder with aggrivating circumstances. He will not face the death penalty because Tennessee did not offer that as punishment at the time the crime was committed.