It was there, in Karen Whalen’s voice, something unmistakable that hadn’t been there in nearly 21 years.

Relief.

For years, whenever Megan McDonald’s sister spoke about Megan’s 2003 murder, her comments were tinged with anxiety, outrage, pleading. Someone, she’d say, knows what happened to her sister on that night, when she was beaten and left for dead off Bowser Road in the town of Wallkill. Someone, she’d say, needs to come forward and tell what they know.

Someone. Anyone.

Every year, just before the March 15 anniversary of the discovery of McDonald’s body, the family would speak to reporters, begging the public for answers.

Then, just after last year’s 20th anniversary, Edward Holley, McDonald’s ex-boyfriend, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Which makes this March 15 unlike any March 15 the McDonald family has known in 21 years.

“It is completely different,” Karen Whalen said, her voice bright. “This is the very first time where the calendar has changed to March that we weren’t cringing and dreading that day coming up for us.”

Whalen and her husband, James, speak for the family, sparing Betty Jo McDonald the task of having to relive her daughter’s final moments as they pursue justice for the 20-year-old who would never turn 21. This year, the words seem to come a bit easier.

“There were 20 anniversaries we’ve had since Megan died where our focus has been on identifying who killed Megan and seeing that person arrested,” James Whalen said. “For the first time, March 15 will be here and the person who we believe killed Megan is arrested. He’s sitting in jail, and he’s going to have to answer. He’s facing murder charges. That’s just such a significant event. It’s wonderful.”

Holley has declared his innocence. He’s next due in Judge Hyun Chin Kim’s court March 18 for a second pretrial conference.

‘A clearer head’

All those years of waiting was horrible, Karen said, but it also distilled the family’s resolve.

“We have a strength that we wouldn’t have had if this was 2004. We have a clearer head. We’re not reeling,” she said. “It’s not so raw and emotional like in the very beginning where you can’t see straight and you don’t know what’s happening. With time, we are able to laser focus on getting justice.”

Karen said she thinks cracking the McDonald case “is just the beginning of these — I’m going to say old cases, not cold cases — being solved. We hope that we provide hope and we show other people that are waiting that it’s possible, and not to give up that hope.”

James said the family’s faith in New York State Police investigators has been rewarded, even though it appeared to the general public that progress wasn’t being made.

“We knew, because we trusted them, that they have been working on this case for all these years,” he said. “It’s been common to refer to this as a ‘cold case.’ And we’ve always bristled at that because it’s not — and it has never been — sitting in a drawer.”

“Even we don’t understand the amount of work that the men and women of the state police have put into this,” he added. “They have worked this case every day for over two decades. And that’s such dedication on not only individuals’ parts, but the agency as a whole and Troop F. When you see those troopers and those investigators who have worked on this case, they deserve all the thanks in the world.”

‘Justice for Megan’

Twenty years is a long time to wait for justice, and the family has learned plenty about how the media works, how every conversation about Megan couldn’t just be about the funny, bubbly girl, but about the way she died.

Karen Whalen has learned how to take back control of the family’s story, how to drive the narrative.

“A few years ago, we said we don’t want to be portrayed anymore as a sad family,” she said. “We want to show our strength and that we are fighting for Megan. We are her voice. And we are determined to get justice for Megan.”

“Of course we’re sad,” she added. “Of course we see the empty chair every holiday. Of course we know she’s not there on her birthday. Of course we’re answering questions from the next generation of our family that want to know stories of her. And that’s very hard to do. But we are laser focused on being strong and making sure that we’re her voice right now.”

Holley is awaiting trial. The McDonald family was in court to see him arraigned Feb. 2, and taken into custody.

As February turned to a much different March, Karen Whalen spoke about a time in the future when she’ll get Megan back.

“I need to be able to tell my family those happy, wonderful 20 years of memories that I have of her. That is the narrative and the story that I want to tell of her. That’s why we’re fighting for her as hard as we are. So we can get her back,” she said.

This March 15, they feel closer to that than ever.

And that’s a relief.

Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: For Megan McDonald’s family, 21st anniversary brings a different mood