ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The jury will begin hearing evidence Thursday morning in the trial of Timothy Williams, the man accused of killing 14-year-old Wendy Jerome in 1984.

Lawyers in the case gave their opening statements Wednesday afternoon in an old case that heavily relies on new technology — and the prosecutor laid out in detail how the young girl was killed on Thanksgiving Day.

Thirty-nine years ago, Wendy Jerome left her home in the Beechwood neighborhood of Rochester to deliver a birthday card to a friend. She never returned. A passerby found the teen’s battered body in an alcove behind School 33 on Webster Avenue — found with her throat slashed, sexually assaulted and beaten to death. The case was widely publicized nearly 40 years ago as investigators looked for the person responsible. But it went cold, until 2020, when familial DNA testing led investigators to charge Williams.

“Who killed Wendy Jerome? That question went unanswered when her body was found on November 24th of 1984, until September of 2020 due to one piece of evidence, the DNA that is consistent with Mr. Williams,” defense attorney Jessica Lauren Naclerio said.

Jury selection concluded Wednesday, with a jury of 12 plus four alternate selected, and opening statements began. Williams held his head down during most of the opening statements.

“The evidence will show the defendant intercepted her on her walk, sexually assaulted her and beat her to death. The evidence will show that she was beaten so badly that some of her teeth had been knocked out,” Monroe County Senior Assistant District Attorney Lisa Gray said in her opening statement.

Defense attorney Naclerio says the allegations relate to one piece of DNA evidence, and told the jurors they will be tasked with asking, is that proof beyond a reasonable doubt?

“The ultimate question will be if that semen is evidence of sexual contact, is it evidence of murder? And the answer is no, Mr. Williams did not kill Wendy Jerome. Mr. Williams is not guilty,” Naclerio said.

After opening statements, court concluded for the day. The prosecution will begin to present its case Thursday morning.

“I feel like we have a very good jury, a jury that is fair and impartial, and a jury that will listen to the evidence over the next two weeks — and I’m confident that, you know, we’ll have the right verdict at the end of the case,” Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Dooley said.

Doorley said this has been a long time coming and it’s time for Wendy to get the justice that she deserves.

“We just want to start the witnesses put the evidence before the jury and hope the jury returns the right verdict for Wendy,” Doorley said.

Over the next few days of the trial, we should find out how it get picked back up again and the methods investigators used to track down Williams and find out what happened to Wendy.