SKOWHEGAN — Ten friends and relatives of homicide victim Rita St. Peter watched Thursday as the man accused of killing their loved one told a judge he was innocent.

Jay Mercier, 55, of Industry, pleaded not guilty in Somerset County Superior Court to the killing more than 31 years ago in Anson. Mercier, who was arrested Sept. 28, told Judge John Nivison in the five-minute hearing that he understood his rights. He faces one charge of murder for allegedly killing St. Peter on July 5, 1980.

Outside the courthouse, Christine Belangia, of Weld, read a statement about Rita St. Peter, who was her sister. Despite more than three decades passing before an arrest was made, “We never gave up hope. God is good,” she said. “Just don’t give up hope because, one day, you never know.”

Belangia remembered St. Peter as a “fun-loving, awesome person, a very good mom and a wonderful sister.” St. Peter was adopted by Belangia’s parents before she was 1 year old.

“Being the youngest, I was closer to her than any of the other members of my family; I was 9 when she came to live with us in Anson,” Belangia said.

St. Peter was 20 when she was killed and left behind her 3-year-old daughter, Terri Lynn, who Belangia described as “the greatest joy of her life.”

Terri Lynn was St. Peter’s only child and has “now grown to be a wonderful mother to her own children. Terri Lynn’s real father is not the defendant,” Belangia said.

After St. Peter’s death, Terri Lynn lived with her grandparents. Because of poor health and their age, however, she was put up for adoption.

“Her new family loved her as their own child,” Belangia said; she did not give their name.

She closed her remarks by thanking State Police and others who “have worked so hard” during the investigation.

Also on the court steps, Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson said a trial may happen in the late spring. While he acknowledged that forensic evidence led to a breakthrough in the case, he declined to provide specifics.

Also, while it is satisfying to make an arrest after many years, the old case has its difficulties, he said.

“Older cases are always a challenge for a couple of reasons. First of all people’s memories change and get worse. It is always more difficult to prove foundation for physical evidence and third, after 30 years, people die,” Benson said.

He is absolutely confident, however, Mercier is the one, he said. If convicted, Mercier could spend between 25 years and life in prison.

When an 18-year-old man exercising horses found St. Peter in a field off Campground Road in Anson more than 30 years ago, she had been beaten and her skull was fractured. Police said she may have been run over by a car or truck. An official cause of death, however, has never been released.

The night she died, St. Peter was seen leaving the newly opened Main Street Depot tavern in Madison about 12:30 a.m. Eyewitnesses told police at the time they saw her get into a pickup truck later on the Madison-Anson bridge.

Benson said St. Peter was identified at the time by police officer William Wright, who later became Somerset County sheriff and is now deceased. He knew and recognized St. Peter because she was from Anson, Benson said.

Nivison said any motions in the case must be filed within 90 days. Defense attorney John Alsop said he will let the court know when he’s ready for a hearing, at which the prosecution will request that Mercier’s right to bail be revoked.

Until then, Mercier is being held without bail at Somerset County Jail.

Erin Rhoda — 612-2368

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