Man arrested in connection with murder of Maine schoolgirl in 'cold case' from 35 years ago

The body of popular cheerleader Joyce McLain was discovered in the woods behind her high school in August 1980

A man has been arrested in connection with the death of Joyce McLain (Facebook)

A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Maine schoolgirl killed more than 35 years ago.

Philip Scott Fournier, 55, is being held on a murder charge related to the death of 16-year-old Joyce McLain, whose body was found in the woods behind Schenck High School in East Millinocket on 10 August 1980, two days after she left her house in the area to go for a jog and didn’t return, CNN reported.

The death of the popular cheerleader had been treated as a ‘cold case’ for more than 20 years, until Ms McLain’s body was exhumed in 2008, bringing to light new evidence that was reviewed along with evidence gathered at the time of her death, eventually leading to the arrest of Fournier.

As with any homicide investigation, you have one opportunity to prove your case in court,“ Maine State Police Colonel Robert Williams told NBC News. ”This is a very complex case. There have been literally generations of state police that have worked on it.“

Ms McLain’s death had even appeared on an internet site of unsolved murders, which states that the unsolved nature of the case has been painful for the McLain family and the town, whose residents pooled their money in order to have Ms McLain’s body resumed in an attempt to reopen the case.

Fournier, who was 19-years-old at the time of Ms McLain’s death, was arrested on 4 March and is due to appear at Penobscot County Superior Court in Bangor city, Maine on 7 March.