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Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle
Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle
Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle
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Neil Entwistle (born 18 September 1978) is an English man convicted of murdering his American wife, Rachel, and their infant daughter, Lillian, on 20 January 2006, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, United States. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole and is incarcerated at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Key Information

Background

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Neil Entwistle was born in Worksop near Nottingham and attended the University of York, receiving a master's degree in electronic engineering. He grew up in Worksop with his parents, Clifford and Yvonne, and his younger brother Russell. Entwistle's home was working class; his father was a coal miner and his mother was a cook at a school canteen.[citation needed]

While at university, Entwistle met Rachel Souza, an American who was studying abroad. They married on 23 August 2003, in Plymouth. The couple moved to Worcestershire, where their daughter Lillian was born on 9 April 2005. Entwistle worked in computing and his wife as a teacher of English, Drama and Theatre Studies at St. Augustine's Catholic High School in Redditch. After migrating to the US, the couple stayed with Rachel's mother and stepfather, Joseph and Priscilla Matterazzo, in Carver, Massachusetts, before finding a house of their own in Hopkinton, located 26 miles (42 kilometers) west of Boston.[citation needed]

Murders

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The bodies of 27-year-old Rachel and 9-month-old Lillian were found on 22 January 2006 in the master bedroom of the family's rented home, where they had been living for ten days. Autopsy results showed that Rachel died of a gunshot wound to the head and Lillian of a gunshot wound to the torso.[1] The bullet that passed through Lillian also pierced Rachel's left breast. The bullets were so small that the one in Rachel's head went undetected until the autopsy.

Hours after the deaths of his wife and daughter, Entwistle purchased a one-way ticket to London at about 5:00 a.m. (EST) on 21 January and boarded a British Airways flight that departed Boston at 8:15 a.m. His speedy departure from the crime scene was not the only reason he raised suspicion: Entwistle's DNA was found on the handle of the same .22 caliber handgun owned by his father-in-law, Joseph Matterazzo, that he told authorities he had used only once, months earlier, while practising at Matterazzo's shooting club. DNA matching that of his wife was found on the gun's muzzle. A set of keys to Materazzo's house were found in the car Entwistle left at Boston's Logan International Airport.

A search of Entwistle's computer revealed that days before the murders, he had viewed a website that described "how to kill people" and searched for escort services.[2] Contrary to outward appearances, Entwistle had been unemployed since September 2005 and was indebted at the time of the murders. Though he claimed an income of $10,000 per month from an "offshore account" set up by his previous employer in the UK, Entwistle had no such income or account. He was also more than $30,000 in credit card debt and was under investigation by eBay for numerous fraudulent transactions. Authorities suspected a financial motivation for the murders.

Investigation and evidence

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On the evening of 21 January, the day after the murders are believed to have been committed, police officers visited the Entwistles' home after Rachel's friend reported her missing. Though the police conducted a cursory inspection of the house, they failed to notice Rachel's and Lillian's bodies, obscured under a pile of bedding in the master bedroom. A second and more thorough search the following evening discovered their bodies.[1]

On 23 January, a Massachusetts State Police trooper called Entwistle at his parents' home in Worksop. The call lasted two hours and was recorded. Entwistle told the trooper that, on the morning of the murders, he had left his Hopkinton home at around 9:00 a.m. (EST) to run an errand and that his wife and daughter had both been alive and well, in the bed in the couple's master bedroom. He claimed that when he returned, at around 11:00 a.m., he found both had been shot dead, and had no idea who had killed them. Entwistle covered their bodies with a blanket and did not alert authorities. Entwistle claimed that he was so distraught upon seeing the corpses of his wife and daughter that he decided to kill himself. However, because he was unable to bring himself to end his life with a knife, he drove the family car to the Materazzos' house to get a .22 caliber revolver. Finding the house locked, he told police that he decided to fly home to England to see his parents.

Police subsequently named Entwistle as a person of interest in the investigation, and later issued an international arrest warrant. On 9 February 2006, Entwistle was arrested on a London Underground train at Royal Oak station following a detailed search of his parents' house. After an initial request that he not be sent back to the US, he later agreed to be extradited. Middlesex County district attorney Martha Coakley (who had successfully prosecuted British au pair Louise Woodward in 1997) told a press conference after Entwistle's arrest:[citation needed]

On Thursday night [19 January 2006], Rachel was alive and had spoken with family members.

At some time on Friday morning, Neil Entwistle — with a firearm we believe he had secured at sometime before that from father-in-law Joseph Materazzo — shot Rachel Entwistle in the head and then proceeded to shoot baby Lillian, who was lying on the bed next to her mother.

We believe possibly this was intended to be a murder-suicide, but we cannot confirm that. Obviously the murder was effected, but the suicide was not.

What we believe happened next was that Neil Entwistle returned the gun to his father-in-law's home in Carver, then made preparations to leave the country. As we know, he was observed at Logan International Airport.

He purchased a one-way ticket on British Airways at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, 22 January. He was on an 8:15 a.m. flight to the United Kingdom on that day. Based upon forensic information late Tuesday afternoon that linked the .22 handgun owned by Joseph Materazzo both to Neil Entwistle and to Rachel, we believed we had probable cause to seek an arrest warrant for Neil Entwistle's arrest.

Arrest and events prior to trial

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Rachel and Lillian were buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Kingston, Massachusetts, with the surname Souza on their graves. They were buried in a single coffin. Lillian's birth and death certificates were edited to read "father unknown".

On 8 February 2006, a week after their funerals, Entwistle was arrested by the extradition unit of London's [[Metropolitan at his parents house in Worksop , Nottinghamshire . He eventually waived his right to contest the extradition order and was returned to the US on 15 February where he was arraigned at Framingham District Court and ordered to be held without bail at Middlesex County jail in Cambridge. On 28 March, Entwistle was indicted on two counts of murder, the illegal possession of a firearm, and the illegal possession of ammunition. He pleaded not guilty. In December 2006, nearly a year after the murders, officers at the Middlesex County jail found letters from Entwistle to his parents and his legal team which indicated he was depressed and might be contemplating suicide. As a result, he was transferred to Bridgewater State Hospital for mental evaluation before being returned to Middlesex County.[3] Forensic psychiatrist Christopher Cordess believed Asperger syndrome explained Entwistle's behavior, and Dr. David Holmes concurred.[4][5]

After numerous delays, the Middlesex superior court began juror selection in June 2008. There were concerns that, due to the high-profile nature of the case, Entwistle would not receive a fair trial. Some media reported that potential jurors were indicating that they had already formed significant views on his guilt.[6]

Trial and conviction

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Entwistle's trial for double murder began on 2 June 2008 in Woburn, Massachusetts.[7] His legal team, led by Elliot Weinstein, unsuccessfully fought proposals by the prosecution to use DNA evidence. He also unsuccessfully fought to suppress other evidence found in the family home, due to the lack of a warrant. Entwistle called no witnesses, nor did he testify in his own defense.

Entwistle was found guilty of all charges on 25 June 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, the mandatory sentence for first degree murder in the state of Massachusetts. Judge Diane Kottmyer made it clear that this was a whole life sentence, subject only to a governor's pardon or successful appeal. Kottmyer imposed two life sentences on the murder charges and ten years of probation on the firearms and ammunition charges, all to run concurrently, and the condition that he never profit from the sale of his story.[8]

Entwistle was first incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center.[9] In August 2008, he was tricked into shaving his head in an attempt to secure the protection of a white supremacist prison gang.[10] Instead of giving him protection, the gang had reportedly said: "It's a nice gesture on your part but we're gonna kill you."[11] Entwistle was put into protective custody (i.e., Administrative Segregation or "AdSeg") as a result, and in December, he was transferred to Old Colony Correctional Center, a medium security prison in Bridgewater.[12] The Department of Corrections confirmed that Entwistle's transfer was for his own safety, and that the threats against his life were quite serious.[13]

Aftermath and appeals

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Entwistle's conviction was automatically appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.[14] He arranged for a new lawyer to represent him in his appeal, since his original lawyer, Weinstein, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and dropped the case to focus on recovery.[15] On appeal, Entwistle argued that the searches of the family home were carried out without warrants and the evidence seized as a result should have been suppressed during the trial. The appeal was rejected in August 2012.[16] The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case in January 2013. Entwistle has thus exhausted all of his appeals.[17]

In October 2008, Entwistle's parents filed a complaint of harassment with the UK Press Complaints Commission (PCC) against their local newspaper, the Worksop Guardian; the complaint was rejected.[18] His parents continue to insist that their son is innocent of the murders, that Rachel was the true killer and that he will eventually be cleared and released from prison. Entwistle's mother said after the trial: "The evidence points to Rachel murdering our grandchild and then committing suicide".[19]

Media

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In 2008, a book titled Heartless: The True Story of Neil Entwistle and the Cold Blooded Murder of His Wife and Child, was released by author Michele R. McPhee.[20]

In December 2012, the British broadcaster Channel Five aired an Entwistle documentary entitled The Man Who Didn't Cry.[21]

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle

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from Grokipedia
The murders of and Lillian Entwistle refer to the fatal shooting of 27-year-old American Elizabeth Entwistle and her nine-month-old daughter, Lillian Rose Entwistle, by Rachel's husband, Neil Entwistle, on January 20, 2006, in the family's home in . Entwistle took a .22-caliber Colt from his stepfather-in-law's collection without permission and used it to shoot Rachel in the forehead at and to fire a second shot that passed through Rachel's left breast into Lillian's torso at while they slept in the master bedroom; he then covered their bodies with a and fled the scene. The bodies were not discovered until January 22, after an initial police welfare check on January 21 overlooked the piled bedding in the room. Neil Entwistle, a 27-year-old British computer engineer originally from , , had met Rachel Souza while she was studying abroad at the ; the couple married on August 23, 2003, and relocated to the in 2005, where they lived in a colonial-style home purchased with help from Rachel's parents. Prosecutors argued that Entwistle's motives stemmed from mounting financial debts—exacerbated by his repeated job failures and unsuccessful business ventures—and personal dissatisfaction, including frustrations with his sex life, leading him to a perceived "tipping point." After the killings, Entwistle drove to Boston's , returned the revolver to his in-laws' home en route, and flew to , where he stayed with his parents and misled authorities about his family's whereabouts. Entwistle was located by police on January 23 and arrested in on February 9, 2006; he was extradited to , arriving on February 16, and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, illegal possession of a , and misleading a police investigation. His began in June 2008 in Middlesex Superior Court, where key evidence included on his clothing, his internet searches for information on contract killings and murder-suicide, and a notebook draft outlining plans to sell his story for profit. On June 25, 2008, a convicted him after less than five hours of deliberation, and he was sentenced two days later to two concurrent terms of without by Judge Diane Kottmyer, who described the crimes as "senseless and brutal" and defying comprehension. Entwistle's appeals, including one denied by the in 2012 and a final U.S. rejection in 2013, have all failed; a 2023 petition for a based on alleged juror bias remains pending as of 2025. In the aftermath, parents established the Rachel and Lillian Rose Foundation to raise awareness of and .

Background

The Entwistle Family

Rachel Elizabeth Souza was born on December 14, 1978, in , and grew up in the nearby town of Kingston. She graduated from Silver Lake Regional High School in Kingston in 1997. While a student at the in , she spent her junior year studying abroad at the in , where she met Neil Entwistle, a British native from , in 1999. The couple married on August 23, 2003, in . After their wedding, Rachel and Neil settled in , where Rachel pursued her career as a teacher of English, drama, and theatre studies at St. Augustine's Catholic High School in , , from 2002 to 2005. Their daughter, Lillian Rose Entwistle, was born on April 9, 2005, in , . In the summer of 2005, following Lillian's birth, the family relocated to the to live closer to Rachel's family; they initially stayed with Rachel's mother, Priscilla Matterazzo, and stepfather, Joseph Matterazzo, in , providing support during Rachel's . By fall 2005, the Entwistles had moved into a rented four-bedroom home at 6 Cubs Path in , where they adjusted to life as a young family in the suburban area. Rachel's close-knit family offered ongoing assistance with childcare and daily routines, helping the couple navigate the demands of parenthood.

Neil Entwistle's Early Life and Career

Neil Entwistle was born on September 18, 1978, in , , , into a working-class . His father, Clifford Entwistle, worked as a miner before becoming a Labour district councillor, while his mother, Yvonne, was a school dinner lady; the family kept largely to themselves in their modest home. As a child, Entwistle showed an early interest in , often dismantling gadgets, and was described by teachers at Valley Comprehensive School in Worksop as an "amenable, nice, approachable young lad." Entwistle pursued higher education at the , where he earned an M.Eng (Hons) in with Business Management. During his before university, he worked as a pre-university employee at in , gaining initial experience in computing. At , he met Souza in 1999 through the university's rowing club, where she, an American on her junior year abroad from the in , served as for the team that included Entwistle as a rower. The couple married in August 2003 in , followed by a reception in later that year. After graduating in 2002, Entwistle began his professional career in IT, taking a position at , a defense technology firm in , where he worked from 2002 to 2005. He also explored opportunities, registering several .co.uk domain names such as millionmaker.co.uk and engaging in sales of software and electronics, though these ventures were modest and reflected his technical skills rather than substantial business success. In 2005, following the birth of their daughter Lillian in , Entwistle resigned from for domestic reasons and moved with his family to the on a visa to be near Rachel's relatives in . Acquaintances from his university days described Entwistle as quiet and reserved, yet not unsociable, with a polite and complaisant demeanor that masked a more ambitious streak. He was seen as a striver from a modest background, technically adept but somewhat socially awkward, preferring structured environments like or work over frequent socializing.

The Murders

Events of January 20, 2006

The murders took place in the master bedroom of the Entwistle family home at 6 Cubs Path in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Neil Entwistle shot his wife, Rachel Entwistle, once in the forehead at close range using a .22-caliber Colt revolver he had borrowed from her stepfather, Joseph Matterazzo. He then shot their nine-month-old daughter, Lillian, once in the torso at close range; the bullet passed through the infant's body and lodged in Rachel's left breast. The time of death was estimated by the prosecution to have occurred sometime after 10 p.m. on January 19 and before 1:30 a.m. on January 20, 2006, based on forensic analysis presented at trial. Following the shootings, Entwistle covered the bodies with a on the in an apparent attempt to conceal them. He cleaned blood from the scene, including wiping down the weapon to remove fingerprints and other traces, before returning the to the Matterazzo family home in . Entwistle then made preparations to flee, including gathering personal items and arranging travel documents. On January 21, 2006, approximately 5:00 a.m. EST, Entwistle drove from the Hopkinton home to in , where he purchased a one-way ticket to using cash withdrawn from ATMs. He boarded Flight 238 without checked luggage, departing at 8:15 a.m. and arriving at 's later that evening.

Discovery of the Bodies

Concerns for the Entwistle family's well-being began when Rachel's mother, Priscilla Matterazzo, was unable to reach her daughter by phone on January 20 and 21, 2006, after their usual daily calls went unanswered. Matterazzo, who had spoken with Rachel the previous day, grew increasingly worried within hours of the lack of contact and contacted local police in , to request a welfare check on the family. This alarm was compounded by Neil Entwistle's unexplained absence, as he had flown back to the shortly after the murders without notifying family. On January 21, 2006, Hopkinton police responded to Matterazzo's request and conducted an initial welfare check at the Entwistle home but found no immediate cause for concern, as the house appeared normal during their brief entry, and they did not search the upstairs areas. The officers knocked on the door and entered partially but left without discovering anything unusual. Matterazzo's persistent concerns prompted authorities to return the following day. Police revisited the home on January 22, 2006, around 6:30 p.m., and this time conducted a more thorough search, uncovering the bodies of and Lillian in the master bedroom. The victims were found in their nightclothes, positioned close together almost in an embrace, and covered by a and fitted sheet, with no visible signs of a struggle in the room. Authorities immediately announced the discovery as a double . The coroner's preliminary examination determined that both deaths resulted from gunshot wounds—Rachel to the head and Lillian to the torso—and estimated the time of death as January 20, 2006.

Investigation

Initial Police Response

Following the discovery of the bodies of Rachel Entwistle and her daughter Lillian on January 22, 2006, the District Attorney's office assumed oversight of the investigation, while the secured the crime scene at the family's home in Hopkinton. Local Hopkinton police had initially conducted a welfare check prompted by concerns from friends and family after the Entwistles failed to attend a planned dinner the previous evening, leading to the bodies being found hidden under blankets in the master bedroom. The scene was preserved to facilitate a thorough examination, with no immediate indications of external intrusion. An initial search of the residence was performed to rule out the presence of additional suspects or victims, revealing a notably clean environment with no signs of forced entry or struggle. Investigators noted the home's orderly state, which included the absence of any visible weapon at the location, prompting further inquiries into the family's circumstances. Police conducted prompt interviews with close family members, including 's parents, Peter and Priscilla Souza, focusing on Entwistle's recent behavior, the couple's daily routines, and any known access to firearms within the . These discussions established that the last confirmed contact with had occurred on , and highlighted the lack of reported domestic issues prior to the incident. Authorities quickly traced Neil Entwistle's movements, confirming through airport records that he had departed in aboard a flight to on January 21, 2006. His vehicle was recovered and processed as evidence, and U.S. investigators coordinated with British authorities, including near Entwistle's family home, to locate him; he was initially treated as a potential rather than a . By the evening of January 22, Middlesex District Attorney publicly identified Neil Entwistle as a , urging the public to provide any information on his whereabouts via a dedicated tip line. Coakley emphasized the international scope of the probe, stating that Entwistle had been contacted but declined to return to voluntarily.

Forensic and Digital Evidence

Forensic examination of the murder weapon, a .22-caliber Colt owned by Joseph Matterazzo, Rachel Entwistle's stepfather, revealed Neil Entwistle's on the grip and an container, while Rachel's was present both in and on the muzzle, consistent with close-range firing. The gun had been stored in a at the Matterazzo home, to which Neil had access. Ballistics analysis confirmed that Lillian Entwistle was shot once in the , with the bullet exiting her body and lodging in her mother Rachel's left breast; Rachel was also shot once in the forehead. Gunshot residue testing showed only trace particles—four in total—on Rachel's hands, an amount deemed insufficient by prosecutors to indicate she had fired the weapon, as it could result from proximity to the discharge rather than handling the gun. No was detected on Neil Entwistle's clothing, vehicle steering wheel, or other items examined. Digital forensics on Neil Entwistle's laptop recovered deleted browser history and files, revealing searches conducted in the weeks before for "how to kill with a ," escort services, swinger websites, and , including visits to Adult Friend Finder as late as the morning of January 20, 2006. Additional recovered data included queries on and , alongside of fraudulent transactions under investigation. Financial records obtained during the investigation indicated the Entwistles had amassed over $30,000 in , including approximately $8,000 on cards and more than $25,000 in loans, exacerbated by Neil's failed ventures such as a work-from-home scheme promising high earnings. The couple had recently incurred further charges, including $6,000 for furniture purchased on , amid Neil's unemployment after relocating to the U.S. Crime scene analysis of the Hopkinton home showed no identifiable fingerprints other than those belonging to the family on the weapon or key surfaces, with the where the bodies were found described as unusually clean and undisturbed for a double , lacking signs of struggle or forced entry. During initial police interviews, investigators noted Neil Entwistle's composed demeanor and lack of visible emotional distress when recounting the discovery of the bodies.

Arrest and Extradition

Neil Entwistle was arrested on February 9, 2006, at Tube station in by officers from the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit, acting on a sealed issued by Framingham District Court in for the murders of his wife and daughter. The warrant stemmed from accumulating forensic and linking Entwistle to the , including and computer searches related to the killings. During initial processing, Entwistle maintained a calm and composed demeanor, appearing in court wearing casual clothing and listening attentively without visible distress. In preliminary questioning, he reiterated his earlier account to investigators that he had returned from errands on January 20, 2006, to discover the bodies of and Lillian in the master bedroom. Entwistle was brought before in later that day for an initial extradition hearing, where he reserved his position on contesting removal to the . On February 10, 2006, at a follow-up hearing, he waived his right to further extradition proceedings through his solicitor, expressing a desire to return promptly to cooperate with authorities and minimize additional distress to the families involved. He was remanded in custody pending transfer. Entwistle was extradited to the on February 15, 2006, arriving at in aboard a commercial flight under escort. Upon landing, he was immediately taken into custody by and transported to Framingham District Court for the following day, after which he was held without at the Bristol County House of Correction in Dartmouth. The funeral for Rachel and Lillian Entwistle was held on February 1, 2006, at the Church of St. Peter in , with burial at Evergreen Cemetery in nearby Kingston; approximately 500 mourners attended, but Neil Entwistle, who was in the at the time, did not return to participate.

Pre-Trial Developments

On March 28, 2006, a Middlesex County indicted Neil Entwistle on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife and daughter Lillian, as well as one count of unlawful carrying of a and one count of unlawful possession of . Following the , Entwistle was arraigned in on April 11, 2006, where his attorney, Elliot Weinstein, entered a of not guilty on his behalf; Entwistle did not speak during the proceedings. The court ordered him held without , a status that persisted throughout the pre-trial phase due to the severity of the charges and flight risk concerns stemming from his international travel after . In December 2006, Entwistle was transferred from Middlesex County Jail to for a psychiatric after jail officials discovered a letter he had written to his parents indicating possible suicidal thoughts. The , lasting nearly three weeks, resulted in a determination that he was competent to stand , and he was returned to jail on , 2007. Although some forensic experts later suggested that symptoms consistent with might explain aspects of his behavior, no formal diagnosis was incorporated into the pre-trial competency findings, and he was deemed fit to proceed. The defense team hinted at a strategy challenging the prosecution's narrative by suggesting Rachel Entwistle may have killed Lillian before taking her own life, with attempting to cover it up to protect her reputation; this approach was outlined in early court filings and motions but not fully detailed until later stages. Several pre-trial motions were filed and denied, including attempts to suppress obtained from warrantless searches of the Entwistle home conducted by police shortly after the bodies' discovery, which the court ruled were justified under emergency aid exceptions. Additionally, motions to dismiss the indictments or change the trial venue due to extensive pretrial publicity were rejected by Judge Diane M. Kottmyer, who found no sufficient prejudice to the defendant's .

Trial

Court Proceedings

The trial of Neil Entwistle for the murders of his wife Rachel and daughter Lillian began on June 2, 2008, in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn, Massachusetts, with Judge Diane Kottmyer presiding. The proceedings lasted several weeks, featuring extensive testimony and evidence presentation over 12 days, with jury selection completing after four days. The prosecution, led by Assistant District Attorney Michael Fabbri, focused on reconstructing a detailed timeline of events from January 20, 2006, using witness accounts and forensic data to argue deliberate premeditation. Fabbri highlighted Entwistle's internet history, including searches for firearms, ammunition, and sex-related content on escort sites, which occurred in the weeks leading up to the murders, as evidence of his mindset and preparation. Key forensic evidence included ballistics analysis confirming that a .22-caliber Colt revolver that he had taken from his father-in-law's home in Carver, Massachusetts, fired the fatal shots—Rachel in the forehead and Lillian through the abdomen—while the weapon was recovered in a kitchen cabinet under towels. DNA evidence linked Entwistle to the gun, with profiles matching samples from a water bottle he handled and trace amounts on the weapon consistent with his genetic material. Over 40 witnesses testified, including family members who described Entwistle's calm demeanor after the discovery and his flight to England, as well as forensic experts who detailed the crime scene positioning and lack of defensive wounds on the victims. A pivotal moment came during the presentation of a 20-minute police video reenactment of the , showing the bodies in the master bedroom, which elicited visible emotional distress from Entwistle as he covered his face and wept. Experts debated (GSR) findings, with prosecution witnesses testifying that minimal GSR on Rachel's hands undermined any scenario, while the defense cross-examined to question or transfer possibilities. The defense, headed by Elliot Weinstein, called no witnesses and rested its case without Entwistle testifying, instead centering arguments on the prosecution's failure to prove motive beyond speculation tied to financial troubles or . Weinstein proposed an alternative theory that Rachel, possibly suffering from , had killed Lillian before turning the gun on herself, pointing to her uncharacteristic decision to sleep in with the baby and the positioning of the weapon near her body as suggestive of self-infliction. Throughout the trial, Entwistle maintained an largely emotionless posture in court, often appearing detached except during graphic evidence displays. After closing arguments, the of six men and six women began deliberations on , 2008, requesting reviews of computer records and other exhibits during the process.

Verdict and Sentencing

On June 25, 2008, after approximately 13 hours of deliberation, a Middlesex Superior Court in , found Neil Entwistle guilty of two counts of first-degree murder on the theory of deliberate premeditation for the deaths of his wife, Rachel Entwistle, and their nine-month-old daughter, Lillian Rose Entwistle. The also convicted him of unlawful possession of a and related to the .22-caliber revolver used in the shootings. This verdict was based on evidence presented during , including Entwistle's searches for methods of killing shortly before the murders and his flight to the immediately afterward. The following day, on June 26, 2008, Diane M. Kottmyer sentenced Entwistle to two concurrent terms of without the possibility of parole, as required under law for first-degree convictions; prosecutors had not sought the death penalty, which was unavailable in the state. In her remarks, Kottmyer described the murders as "incomprehensible" acts that violated the fundamental bonds central to human identity, highlighting the premeditated nature of the crimes and Entwistle's apparent lack of remorse, as evidenced by his minimal emotional response in . She further ordered that Entwistle could never profit from his story through books, films, or other media. Following sentencing, Entwistle was initially incarcerated at the maximum-security in . On December 17, 2008, he was transferred to the medium-security Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater for routine classification review applicable to life-sentence inmates. Entwistle's parents, Clifford and , immediately expressed denial of his guilt outside the courthouse, insisting on his innocence and criticizing as unfair, a stance they maintained despite the conviction.

Aftermath

Appeals Process

Following his conviction on two counts of first-degree murder in June 2008, Neil Entwistle's case underwent an automatic appeal to the (SJC) as required by state law for all first-degree murder convictions. The appeal focused primarily on two key issues raised by the defense: the admissibility of obtained through warrantless searches of the home and the adequacy of the trial court's process in addressing potential juror bias from extensive pretrial media coverage. Entwistle's attorneys argued that the searches, conducted by police shortly after the bodies were discovered, violated the Fourth Amendment and that the resulting —including computer records and other items—should have been suppressed, as there were no exigent circumstances justifying entry without a warrant. They further contended that the "saturating and inflammatory" media publicity had tainted the jury pool, rendering the selected jurors incapable of impartiality despite the judge's questioning during . On August 14, 2012, the SJC issued a unanimous decision affirming Entwistle's convictions in Commonwealth v. Entwistle, rejecting both defense arguments. The court held that the initial warrantless entry into the home was justified under the emergency aid doctrine, as officers reasonably believed someone inside might need immediate assistance given reports of a possibly missing family, and that the subsequent search warrant was properly supported by probable cause. Regarding juror impartiality, the SJC found the trial judge's voir dire thorough and sufficient to ensure an unbiased jury, noting that jurors had affirmed their ability to decide the case based solely on courtroom evidence. The court also declined to exercise its extraordinary power under G.L. c. 278, § 33E to order a new trial or reduce the verdict, concluding that the evidence overwhelmingly supported the convictions on theories of deliberate premeditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty. Entwistle's parents, Clifford and Yvonne Entwistle, publicly supported their son's appeals, maintaining his innocence and endorsing the defense's longstanding theory that Rachel Entwistle had committed after killing their daughter—a claim originally presented at but echoed in their statements during the appellate process. They described the as influenced by biased media and expressed devastation over the outcome, insisting Neil had protected reputation throughout. Entwistle subsequently the U.S. for a writ of to review the SJC's decision. The , docketed on November 14, 2012, reiterated challenges to the evidence suppression and issues but was denied on January 14, 2013, without comment, exhausting his direct appeals and upholding the life sentences without possibility of parole.

Recent Developments and Family Impact

In October 2023, Neil Entwistle filed a motion with the seeking a , alleging juror bias stemming from a 2008 interview in which one , who shared Rachel Entwistle's height of 5 feet 2 inches, participated in a reenactment without testing the arm length required to reach the gun's trigger as positioned. The motion, submitted on August 23, 2023, claims this participation influenced the juror's perception of the prosecution's demonstration, but as of November 2025, the petition remains pending without a ruling. Entwistle continues to serve his life sentence without parole at the Old Colony Correctional Center, a medium-security facility in , where he has been incarcerated since December 2008. In 2008, his parents, Clifford and Yvonne Entwistle, filed a harassment complaint with the UK against their local newspaper, the Worksop Guardian, over letters published criticizing their support for Neil's innocence claims, but the commission rejected the complaint, finding no breach of or codes. On the 10th anniversary of the murders in January 2016, Rachel Entwistle's family, including her mother and stepfather Joe Matterazzo, released a public statement expressing that their grief remained as raw and painful as ever, emphasizing Rachel's joy as a new mother and explicitly rejecting Neil's and his family's assertions of her involvement in the deaths due to . The family has maintained no support for claims of Neil's innocence in subsequent years, focusing instead on preserving Rachel and Lillian's memory amid ongoing legal challenges. The case has contributed to broader discussions on family annihilators, where perpetrators like Entwistle methodically eliminate family members to escape financial or personal pressures, often masking motives with fabricated narratives. It has also highlighted misconceptions surrounding postpartum , as the defense's unsuccessful attempt to attribute the murders to Rachel's supposed depression underscored the risks of misapplying such diagnoses without evidence, prompting expert commentary on distinguishing genuine conditions from exploitative defenses in cases.

Media Coverage

The murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle garnered significant attention from print and broadcast media starting in January 2006, when the bodies were discovered in their home, with initial reports emphasizing the mysterious disappearance of husband and father Neil Entwistle, a British national who had fled to . The provided early local coverage, detailing the investigation into financial motives and Entwistle's sudden departure from the U.S. shortly after the killings, framing him as a key in the double slaying. National outlets like ABC News amplified this "missing husband" narrative, reporting on January 26, 2006, that police were tracking Entwistle in while autopsies confirmed the victims died from small-caliber wounds, heightening public intrigue over the seemingly idyllic family's tragic end. During the 2008 trial in Middlesex Superior Court, broadcast networks offered daily updates that spotlighted Entwistle's British background and stoic demeanor, often dubbing him the "man who didn't cry" amid emotional from prosecutors about the premeditated shootings. covered the proceedings extensively, highlighting Entwistle's transatlantic ties and the cultural contrasts in the case, including his initial denial of involvement from the . ABC News provided in-depth reports on courtroom drama, such as the playback of Entwistle's police interviews where he claimed ignorance of the deaths, underscoring his composed affect that fueled speculation about his guilt. These broadcasts, reaching millions, portrayed as a clash of American justice and British reserve, with Entwistle's lack of visible grief becoming a recurring theme in analysis. International media, particularly the and UK tabloids, focused on the process, portraying it as a transatlantic legal saga involving a British accused in a suburban U.S. horror. The reported on Entwistle's February 2006 return to under treaty, emphasizing diplomatic coordination between U.S. and authorities and the shock in his hometown of , . UK outlets like detailed the procedural hurdles, including Entwistle's not guilty plea and the high-profile nature of the case, which drew comparisons to infamous British murder trials while stressing the emotional toll on both nations' families. This coverage peaked during the trial, with updates on key evidence like the .22-caliber borrowed from Rachel's father. Media interest surged again from 2008 to 2012 following Entwistle's conviction and subsequent appeals, with reports zeroing in on digital evidence such as his internet searches for killing methods and hitmen just days before the murders. CNN revisited the case post-verdict in June 2008, analyzing how browser history and financial desperation proved pivotal in the jury's decision for first-degree murder charges, leading to a life sentence without parole. The Boston Globe tracked the appeals process, covering the 2012 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court hearing where Entwistle's team challenged search warrants but ultimately failed, reinforcing public perception of the evidence's irrefutability. Coverage in this period often recapped the timeline, from the January 20, 2006 shootings to the upheld conviction, maintaining the story's relevance in true crime discussions. Public fascination reached a notable peak with a June 2008 Dateline NBC episode titled "The Light in the Upstairs Bedroom," which featured an exclusive juror interview revealing deliberations over Entwistle's emotionless facade and the damning web searches. The program, viewed by millions, dissected the trial's emotional weight and the juror's certainty in the guilty verdict, solidifying the case's place in American broadcast history as a benchmark for spousal narratives.

Books and Documentaries

One prominent book on the case is Heartless: The True Story of Neil Entwistle and the Cold-Blooded Murder of His Wife and Baby Daughter by Michele R. McPhee, published in 2008 by St. Martin's Paperbacks. The work provides an in-depth account of Neil Entwistle's double life, including his online deceptions and financial struggles, as well as the forensic evidence that contributed to his conviction for the murders. McPhee, a former ABC News producer who covered the trial, draws on court documents and interviews to reconstruct the events leading to the discovery of the bodies. A key documentary exploring the case is The Man Who Didn't Cry, an episode of the Real Crime series originally aired on July 23, 2009, on in the UK (with later broadcasts including on Channel 5). The 60-minute program examines Entwistle's apparent lack of after the murders, featuring interviews with family members, investigators, and experts who analyze his behavior and the evidence supporting his guilt. It highlights the couple's seemingly idyllic life in before delving into Entwistle's secretive activities and the investigation's timeline. In recent years, podcasts have revisited the murders through narrative retellings and audio recreations. The True Crime New England podcast dedicated Episode 169, "The Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle," to the case on November 21, 2024, hosted by Katie and Liz Corey, who recount the family's background, the details, and highlights based on . Other podcasts, such as episodes from Crime of the Truest Kind (2021) and (undated), similarly dramatize Entwistle's deceptions and the emotional toll on the victims' family. Online video content has proliferated since 2013, with YouTube channels producing true crime analyses of the case. Notable examples include True Crime Central's "The Case of Neil Entwistle" (June 17, 2024), a 40-minute video that outlines Entwistle's upbringing, marriage, and conviction through archival footage and expert commentary. Additional 2024 uploads, such as those from Crime Truths and similar creators, offer updated perspectives on the evidence and psychological aspects, often exceeding 30 minutes in length. Coverage continued into 2025, with the That Chapter YouTube channel releasing "The Twisted Case of Neil Entwistle" on November 6, 2025, providing a detailed narrative of the crimes and investigation. Another video, "Neil Entwistle's Double Life: The Family Man Who Killed | A True Story," was uploaded on August 25, 2025, focusing on Entwistle's deceptions leading to the murders. Some portrayals in books and documentaries have faced criticism for sensationalism, particularly in speculating on Entwistle's potential Asperger's syndrome as an explanation for his demeanor, despite limited clinical evidence presented at trial. Court records from his appeal noted that overall media coverage of the case was "extensive, often emotional, and occasionally sensational," which influenced public perceptions but did not warrant a new trial. The The Man Who Didn't Cry documentary, for instance, discusses Asperger's as a possible factor in his emotional flatness, drawing from expert opinions but amplifying unproven theories for dramatic effect.

References

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