Tensions rose in Orange County Court on Friday as closing arguments continued in the retrial of Edward Holley, the man accused of killing 20-year-old Orange County Community College student Megan McDonald in 2003.

Before jurors were brought into the courtroom, prosecutors took issue with remarks made by Holley’s defense team during Thursday’s summation, calling them “personal attacks” that unfairly characterized both the prosecution and the case.

The judge said she was “frustrated” by the defense's explanation of the closing statements and described several portions of the defense’s closing as improper, saying some comments appeared to suggest prosecutorial misconduct. She noted that objections were not raised at the time but said prosecutors would be given leeway to address those claims with the jury before the case is turned over to them.

Holley’s co-counsel defended the remarks in court, arguing that the defense was criticizing how police handled the investigation — not accusing prosecutors of wrongdoing — and called any court intervention “extraordinary and unconstitutional.”

When jurors entered, prosecutors immediately tried to refocus the case on the evidence.

“We are not here to speculate. We are here because of evidence,” special prosecutor Julia Cornachio told jurors.

She pushed back against the defense’s alternate suspect theory, particularly arguments involving a Dodge Neon and another former boyfriend of McDonald. Prosecutors said DNA testing excluded both McDonald and that individual from biological material found in the vehicle and argued there is no evidence implicating him. They also said phone records confirmed his alibi.

Cornachio also pointed to inconsistencies in Holley’s statements to police regarding his whereabouts the night of Megan's murder. In his first statement to police, prosecutors said Holley claimed he went shoe shopping at the mall, returned home and did not leave again that night. They argued that account conflicts with later confirmations that he was at a party McDonald stopped by on the night of her death.

Holley is accused of bludgeoning McDonald and dumping her body off a dirt path in the Town of Wallkill. His first trial ended in a mistrial last April after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

On Thursday, Holley’s attorney urged jurors to find reasonable doubt, arguing the case was “built on lies” and that investigators fixated on his client while overlooking other possible leads. The defense suggested police mishandled parts of the investigation and asked jurors to carefully scrutinize the state’s evidence.

Prosecutors are continuing their closing arguments. This is a developing story and will be updated as proceedings continue.