Coming Together for Mary

Group seeks to renew interest in 35-year-old unsolved murder 

 

http://post.mainelymediallc.com/news/2013-04-26/Front_Page/Coming_Together_for_Mary.html

 

By Alex Acquisto

Staff Writer

 Charles Tanner III’s youngest sister, Mary Ellen Tanner, was murdered in 1978 when she was 18. Her killer was never caught. This July marks the 35th anniversary of her death. Charles and a growing group of supporters are planning a gathering. Coming Together for Mary: An Informal Meeting of the Minds will be held at 5:30 p.m. May 6 at the Kennebunk Free Library. (Alex Acquisto photo) KENNEBUNK — This summer marks the 35th anniversary of the murder of Kennebunk’s Mary Ellen Tanner.

In an effort to commemorate her life, raise awareness and discuss any new developments in the unsolved case, Tanner’s brother, along with a number of friends, have organized an event, Coming Together for Mary: An Informal Meeting of the Minds, at the Kennebunk Free Library on May 6. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.

Mary, who was 18 at the time, left a party around 11:30 p.m. with friends. They dropped her off at the intersection of Route 9 and 35; Tanner made it clear that she planned to hitchhike home. Tanner’s body was found two days later in Gracie Evans Airfield in Lyman. Her murderer is still at large. Tanner was the youngest of four siblings.

“Every few years someone scratches their head and says ‘Did they ever figure out who killed Mary?’ We finally all decided to form a group to do whatever needed to be done,” said Francine Tanguay of Wells.
“Charlie, Mary’s brother, was a school mate of mine. I didn’t know Mary, but I knew the family. And I witnessed what it did to the town of Kennebunk and how hard it was to not have resolution,” said Tanguay.

A Facebook page titled “Justice for Mary” was started earlier this year by residents such as Tanguay and former classmates of the Tanner’s eager to ignite awareness once again.

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