In the summer of 2017, the life of Molly McLain, a 27-year-old White/Caucasian mother of two, was cut tragically short. Residing in the small community of Maidstone, Vermont, Molly was a devoted mother to her young children, Jack and Quinne. She was known by friends and family as a kind, giving, and wonderful mother who always thought of others before herself.
However, beneath the surface of her life was a history of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband, Jason McLain.
In the weeks leading up to her death, Molly had taken courageous steps to leave her abusive husband. After a physical assault in June of that year, where Jason punched her in the eye, she reported the incident to the police. This led to a restraining order being issued against Jason, which required him to move out of their home and stay away from Molly and the children. Despite these legal protections, Jason continued to be a threatening presence in her life. Molly had even expressed her fear to the court, stating that Jason kept a rifle in the open to intimidate her and that she worried he might use it against her in a fit of anger.
On the evening of July 26, 2017, Molly's fears became a horrific reality. A month after the restraining order was issued, Jason McLain, 33, forced his way into their home. In a final, brutal act of violence, he attacked Molly, stabbing her in the face with a knife before shooting her with a semiautomatic pistol. Law enforcement officials later found Molly's body in a ditch across the street from her house.
Inside the home, police discovered Jason McLain, who was dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He succumbed to his injuries, making the grim incident a murder-suicide. The investigation concluded that Jason McLain was the sole perpetrator in Molly's death, and therefore no further arrests were made. The tragedy left their two young children without their parents and a community mourning the loss of a vibrant young woman who had been taking brave steps to create a new, safer life for herself and her children.
