Thomas Skakel, Michael’s older brother, is suspected of murdering Martha Moxley in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1975. High-profile ties, particularly their relationship to the Kennedy family, have kept the Skakel family in the spotlight for decades. Thomas Skakel’s participation in the crime remains controversial and intriguing.
Skakel Family History
Rushton Walter Skakel, who founded the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation, led the affluent and important Connecticut Skakel family. The Skakels were well known in Belle Haven, a gated Greenwich neighbourhood where the Moxleys lived. This wealthy upbringing of Thomas, Michael, and their siblings would ultimately shape Martha Moxley’s terrible end.
Through his mother, Anne Reynolds, Thomas Skakel was related to Robert F. Kennedy. This relationship drew media attention since the Kennedy name was so powerful in American politics.
Rushton Walter Skakel, Thomas’ father
Rushton Walter Skakel, born in Connecticut on October 5, 1923, was an American businessman and family patriarch. He was the son of George Skakel, a renowned businessman who built the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation, making his family rich. Rushton married Anne Elizabeth Reynolds and had seven children, including Thomas Skakel, solidifying his riches and social prominence. Thomas and his siblings came from a wealthy and controversial family. Rushton’s sister Ethel Kennedy married Robert F. Kennedy, putting the Skakel family at the centre of American nobility and politics. Rushton Skakel lived a privileged life until his January 2, 2003, death at 79.
Even though Rushton was a successful businessman, his son Michael Skakel’s 1975 murder of Martha Moxley made the family name notorious. In the years since Michael’s conviction, this tragedy has characterised the Skakel family’s public image, overshadowing Rushton Walter Skakel’s legacy. While Thomas Skakel, his other children, and even his relatives like Ethel Kennedy have maintained their own public personas, Rushton’s life is deeply bound to Michael’s dramatic occurrences. His family’s tumultuous background defines Rushton’s legacy, notwithstanding his successful economic activities.
The Martha Moxley Murder
On October 30, 1975, 15-year-old Martha Moxley, who lived across the street from the Skakels, was found bludgeoned to death in her backyard. The cause of her death was unknown for years. Thomas Skakel and others were initially suspects, but the case stayed cold until the late 1990s, when Michael Skakel was apprehended.
Michael Skakel was convicted of murder in 2002, but his case and those of his family, including Thomas, have sparked discussion. Thomas was often mentioned as a suspect, and many speculated about the family’s involvement.
Investigator Thomas Skakel
At 17 years old, Thomas Skakel was originally questioned about his role in Moxley’s killing. Years after the murder, reports and remarks raised suspicion. Dominick Dunne’s 2000 book A Season in Purgatory suggested that Thomas may have killed Moxley, citing friends and relatives who believed Thomas had a problematic past.
Thomas denied murdering Moxley but acknowledged to having a sexual experience with her the night of her death, according to various reports. The Skakel family’s money and connections were said to have impacted the inquiry and court processes.
Thomas’s neurological and psychological disorders may have contributed to the police’s interest in him after his confession concerning Moxley. He was not guilty of murder due to inadequate evidence.
Conviction and Overturn of Michael Skakel
After years as the main suspect, Thomas’s younger brother Michael Skakel was convicted of Martha Moxley’s murder in 2002. The Connecticut Supreme Court reversed Michael’s conviction in 2018 because his defence attorney failed to offer alibi evidence. Michael served almost a decade in jail, but the case unfolded publicly.
The state prosecutor declined to retry Michael Skakel for murder in 2020. This ruling ended the protracted legal drama, but it raised issues about the first conviction, especially since Thomas Skakel remained a suspect throughout the inquiry.
Today in Thomas Skakel’s Life Thomas Skakel seems less prominent than his brother Michael, who was in the spotlight for most of the case. Over time, the brothers have grown apart. Thomas has avoided media attention to prevent murder suspicion.
Thomas has denied causing Moxley’s death in interviews and court procedures. The years of media attention and difficult family relationships continue to haunt him. Thomas’s current status is unknown, but the Moxley case mystery keeps the public interested in his past acts.
Conclusion
Martha Moxley and the Skakel family, especially Thomas Skakel, are still debated. Michael Skakel’s conviction was reversed, but the victims still live with the aftermath. Thomas Skakel, a former suspect, has lived in seclusion, but the Moxley murder and the Skakel family’s part in it remain unanswered.
