Jay Mercier was arrested Wednesday at his home in Industry and charged in the death of Rita St. Peter.
St. Peter was 20 years old when she was found dead in Anson on July 5, 1980. Police say she had been drinking in a bar in Madison the night before and was last seen crossing a bridge over the Kennebec River from Madison to Anson.
At the time of her death, St. Peter was staying with friends in Anson and working at a restaurant in Skowhegan.
Police say a grand jury indicted Mercier earlier this month.
