For Immediate Release: June 25, 2008 Contact: Corey Welford/Jessica Venezia 781-897-8325
Entwistle Found Guilty Of Two Counts Of First Degree Murder
WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone informed the public today that a Middlesex Superior Court jury has found Neil Entwistle guilty of two counts of first degree murder in connection with the shooting death of his wife, Rachel, and 9-month-old daughter, Lillian.
The jury found Entwistle, 29, formerly of Hopkinton, guilty of two counts of first degree murder, one count of illegal possession of a firearm, and one count of illegal possession of ammunition. The verdict was rendered in Middlesex Superior Court at approximately 3 p.m. The jury had begun their deliberations on Tuesday, June 24, at approximately 9:30 a.m.
A sentencing hearing will be held tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in Woburn Superior Courtroom 430 before Judge Dianne Kottmyer. First degree murder convictions carry with them a mandatory life sentence with no eligibility for parole.
“We are pleased with today’s guilty verdict and thankful to the jury for their thoughtful consideration of the facts. Let there be no doubt, their verdict is right and it is just,” District Attorney Leone said. “The murders committed by Neil Entwistle against his wife, Rachel, and their baby daughter, Lillian, were unimaginable, unforgiveable acts. Those crimes were made even more shameful by the cowardly way he attempted to disparage his wife and her family during this trial.
“Throughout this case, we fought for Rachel, Lillian, and their many family and friends. I want to commend the poise and dignity that Priscilla and Joe Matterazzo exhibited throughout this difficult legal process. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them as they continue to try and cope with this horrific tragedy.”
On the evening of Saturday, January 21, 2006, friends of the Entwistle family arrived at the 6 Cubs Path residence in Hopkinton for an informal social gathering. Upon arrival at the home, the friends found the home locked, and it did not appear that anyone was there. At the same time, Rachel Entwistle’s mother had grown concerned after not having been able to reach her daughter all day. She contacted the Hopkinton Police Department and reported that she had not been able to contact her daughter by telephone, and that friends of her daughter had called her upon arriving at the Entwistle home to find no one was apparently home.
The Hopkinton Police Department responded to the residence to complete a well-being check. When they entered the home, no one appeared to be present. Police looked into the bedroom, and called out to see if anyone was there. They received no response, and there was no immediately detectable sign of any suspicious activity or injury. The bed was in disarray with several layers of thick bedding and pillows; however it only appeared to police that the bed had not been made that day. Police then cleared the scene. Hopkinton Police proceeded to check with local hospitals to see if any members of the Entwistle family had been treated by them. In addition, a bulletin was issued for the family’s BMW.
The following day, Sunday, January 22, 2006, the Entwistles’ friends went to the house again, and were met there by Rachel’s mother and stepfather. The friends were able to gain entry to the house. They looked around the house, including in the bedroom, and did not detect any signs of injury or foul play. The friends and Rachel’s mother and stepfather went to the Hopkinton Police Department shortly after 5:00 p.m. to file missing persons reports for the family. As a result, Hopkinton Police officers responded to the home for a second well-being check. Upon searching the home, officers detected an odor indicating that there may be deceased individuals in the home. At that time, officers discovered the bodies of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle in the bed in the master bedroom of the home. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Hopkinton Police immediately contacted State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, and together they initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
On January 24, 2006, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (ME) completed its autopsies on the bodies of Rachel and Lillian. While initially investigators only detected one gunshot wound to Rachel Entwistle’s torso, autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The ME found the cause of death Lillian to be a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Both deaths were ruled homicides.
After an exhaustive three-week investigation by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, State Police, and the Hopkinton Police Department, investigators sought and obtained a warrant for Neil Entwistle’s arrest from Framingham District Court on Wednesday, February 8, 2006, charging Entwistle with two counts of murder in connection with Rachel and Lillian’s deaths, as well as illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition. With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice, authorities then obtained provisional warrant for Entwistle’s arrest from British authorities.
Neil Entwistle was placed under arrest without incident on February 9, 2006, at approximately 11:50 a.m. local time (6:50 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) at the Royal Oak station, part of London’s underground public transportation system, by the Metropolitan Police Extradition Unit, which is affiliated with Scotland Yard.
After waiving extradition, Entwistle was transported back to the United States by U.S. Marshals on February 15, 2006. He was arraigned in Framingham District Court on February 16, 2006, before Judge Robert Greco. He pleaded not guilty, and was ordered held without bail. On March 28, 2006, Entwistle was indicted by a Middlesex Grand Jury. On April 11, 2006, Entwistle was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on his superior court charges of murder (2 counts), illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition. Pleas of not guilty were entered on his behalf by defense attorney Weinstein and Judge Peter Lauriat ordered Entwistle held without bail.
During trial, it was proven that Neil Entwistle shot and killed his wife and baby daughter in the house that they were renting in Hopkinton on the morning of Friday, January 20, 2006. Entwistle then fled Massachusetts for his family’s home in England on Saturday morning.
The prosecution team was lead by Assistant District Attorney Michael Fabbri and included: Assistant District Attorneys Dan Bennett and Meghan O’Neill, and paralegal Jennifer Bills. The victim witness advocate was Patrice Provitola.
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