ST. FRANCIS, Maine — There is a field of bright forget-me-nots blooming behind the house where one year ago Amy Theriault was murdered, allegedly at the hands of her longtime boyfriend.
On Sunday Theriault’s parents, family and friends stopped at the house during a mile long memorial walk aimed at bringing attention to domestic violence and Theriault’s case.
“Look at all those flowers,” her mother Barbara Theriault said after she tied a purple ribbon — the color of domestic violence awareness — on the porch of the house. “I know that is Amy telling us she is with us and that she is OK.”
The state medical examiner has ruled Theriault’s death a homicide. She died of a gunshot wound to the chest and multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck, according to a spokesman for the medical examiner’s office.
“Today is about celebrating Amy and what kind of person she was,” Barbara Theriault said Sunday as close to 100 people gathered at the St. Charles church parking lot in St. Francis for the start of the walk. “She was such a kind soul [and] had a lot of compassion and love for so many people.”
It’s been a difficult year, she said, as the family marked their first holidays, birthdays and seasons without Amy Theriault.
“All of the ‘firsts’ were hard,” Barbara Theriault said. “But I thank God every day that I have my grandchildren with me.”
Amy Theriault’s two daughters were not home at the time of her death and are living with relatives in the area.
Barbara Theriault also wanted Sunday’s walk to highlight the issue of domestic violence and to remind people there is help out there.
At the end of the walk at the St. Francis Catholic cemetery hundreds of purple balloons were released after a brief prayer at Amy Theriault’s grave.
“The community needs to be aware of the resources that are out there that can save people,” Barbara Theriault said. “We want to support people getting that help.”
Francine Garland Stark is the director of the Hope and Justice Project and said that help is just a phone call away.
“It does not matter if you believe yourself to be a victim or if you are worried about someone else,” she said before the walk started. “We are there for you if you just want to talk and we are going to listen and help you in any way we can to make sure you are safe.”
A year ago, then Aroostook County Sheriff’s Deputy Kris Malmborg, who is married to Theriault’s first cousin, was first on the scene at Amy Theriault’s house and on Sunday was back to walk and show his support.
“It’s amazing how fast the time has gone by,” he said. “You just never know in life what is going to happen [and] life is very special. That is what I tell myself every day.”
When the group reached Amy Theriault’s house Sunday, her mother tied the purple ribbon to the porch and asked everyone to take a moment to pray for justice and closure.
“We want justice for Amy,” she said. “We want your prayers to see she gets justice.”
Jesse Marquis, 39, is currently being held at the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton, charged with Amy Theriault’s May 31, 2014, murder.
Marquis was the subject of an intensive 6-day manhunt which ended in his capture in St. Francis about a mile from Theriault’s home.
Marquis pleaded not guilty to murder last August and no court date has been set.
A status call among attorneys with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, Marquis’ attorneys and a judge is scheduled for July 13 in Houlton, according to a Caribou Superior Court Clerk on Friday.
In April, Barbara Theriault began a petition drive to convince a judge to impose a life sentence on Marquis if he is found guilty.
Should Marquis go to trial and be found guilty, he faces a penalty of 25 years to life in prison. Maine does not have the death penalty.
On Sunday, Theriault said she does not know how many people have signed her petition, but there are about 90 copies of it circulating in the community.
She declined to comment on the petition or on specifics of the case on Sunday, saying the day was to celebrate her daughter.
“I am hoping we can do this walk every year,” Barbara Theriault said. “I want to keep her memory and her spirit alive.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.
