Neil Entwistle
Encyclopedia
Neil Entwistle is an English
man convicted of murdering his American
wife, Rachel, and their infant daughter Lillian on 20 January 2006 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
, US.
and attended the University of York
in England
receiving a Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering. He grew up in Worksop
, Nottinghamshire
with his parents Cliff and Yvonne and his younger brother, Russell. While at university he met Rachel Souza and they married on 23 August 2003 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They lived in Worcestershire where their daughter Lillian was born on 9 April 2005. Neil Entwistle worked in IT and Rachel as a teacher of English at St Augustine's Catholic High School in Redditch. On emigrating to the US the couple stayed with Rachel's mother and stepfather in Carver, Massachusetts
before finding a house of their own.
home where the Entwistles had been living for only ten days. Autopsy
results showed that Rachel died of a gunshot
wound to the head and the baby died of a gunshot wound to the torso
.
Just hours after the deaths of his wife and daughter Entwistle purchased a one-way ticket to London
about 5:00 AM EST
on 21 January and boarded a British Airways
flight that left at 8:15 AM.
On 23 January, Hopkinton Police located Entwistle at the home of his parents, Clifford and Yvonne Entwistle, in Worksop
, Nottinghamshire
, England
. Entwistle told them that he left his Hopkinton home at around 9:00 AM EST three days previously to run an errand and that his wife and daughter were both alive and well and in the bed in the couple's master bedroom. When he returned at around 11:00 AM EST, he claimed to have found both had been shot dead. He then covered the bodies of his wife and infant daughter with a blanket. He did not alert authorities.
Entwistle told the police 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 his father-in-law Joseph Materazzo's house to get a .22 caliber handgun
. Finding the house locked, he told police that he then decided to fly home to England to see his parents.
Entwistle's speedy departure from the scene of the deaths of his family was not the only reason authorities questioned his version of the events. Entwistle's DNA
was found on the handle of the same .22 handgun owned by his father-in-law that he told authorities he'd only used the weapon once months earlier while practising at his father-in-law’s shooting club. Additionally, DNA
matching that of his wife Rachel was found on the gun's muzzle
. Also, a set of keys to Materazzo's house were found in the car Entwistle left at Boston
's Logan Airport.
A search of Entwistle's computer also revealed that days before the murders, Entwistle looked at a website that described "how to kill people" and searched for escort services. Contrary to outward appearances, Entwistle had been unemployed since September 2005 and was essentially penniless at the time of the killings. Authorities suspected a financial motivation for the killings.
On 23 January, police investigators then contacted Neil Entwistle at his parents' home in Worksop, England. According to reports, Entwistle told police that he had found the bodies of his wife and baby dead at about 11:00 EST on the 20th, and had no idea who killed them.
Police subsequently named Entwistle as a person of interest in the investigation before later issuing an international arrest warrant. After he was traced to London, on 9 February 2006, Entwistle was arrested on a Tube
train at Royal Oak station
, following detailed searches by officers at his parents' house. After an initial request that he not be sent back to the United States
, he later agreed to be extradited.
District Attorney
Martha Coakley
(who successfully prosecuted British au pair Louise Woodward
in 1997) told a press conference
after Entwistle’s arrest:
at the Royal Oak underground station. Initially refusing to agree to his extradition, Entwistle eventually agreed to waive his right to contest the extradition order and was flown to the United States on 15 February where he was arraigned at Framingham
District Court
and ordered to be held without bail at Middlesex County
Jail in Cambridge, Massachusetts
.
A month later on 28 March, Entwistle was indicted on two counts of murder, the illegal possession of a firearm and the illegal possession of ammunition. On 11 April, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and was again ordered to be held without bail. Over the following months Entwistle's legal team, led by Elliot Weinstein, fought proposals by the prosecution to use DNA evidence and argued, in both cases unsuccessfully, to have the case dismissed.
In December 2006, nearly a year after the death of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle, officers at the Middlesex County Jail where Neil Entwistle was being held found letters to his parents and to his legal team which, according to the addressees, indicated he was depressed and may be contemplating suicide. As a result Entwistle was initially transferred to the Bridgewater State Hospital
for mental evaluation before being returned to Middlesex.
In the following months, Elliot Weinstein raised further (unsuccessful) legal argument requesting the suppression of evidence found in the family home. The basis for the motion was that Entwistle had not given police or prosecutors permission to enter the home without a warrant.
On 11 September 2007, Entwistle's legal team successfully requested that the trial, due to start on 1 October 2007, be rescheduled to allow the lawyers time to analyse the evidence. Later, on 14 November, Elliot Weinstein requested a further delay and the trial was then rescheduled to March 2008. Subsequently the illness of one of Entwistle's lawyers, Stephanie Page, led to a further delay before a new trial was finally set at 2 June 2008.
In early June 2008, Middlesex Superior Court
began a lengthy juror selection process, punctuated by legal argument that the delay in the trial date and the high profile nature of the murders meant that the defendant would not receive a fair trial. Some media reported that potential jurors were indicating that they formed significant views on the defendant's guilt or otherwise prior to the trial.
The formal legal fight in the trial ended on 23 June. After deliberating for nine hours over two days, on 25 June 2008, the jury found Entwistle guilty as to the charge of first degree murder. He was also found guilty of the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on 26 June 2008, the mandatory sentence for someone convicted of first degree murder in the state of Massachusetts
. Judge Diane Kottmyer imposed two concurrent life sentences on the murder charges and ten years of probation
on the firearms and ammunition charges to run concurrent with the life sentences, conditional that he never profit from the sale of his story.
Entwistle was first incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
, although Judge Kottmyer originally said that he would serve his sentences at MCI-Cedar Junction
.
. He now has the right to appeal
a number of times and the appeals process may stretch over several years. In September 2008, it was revealed that Neil had arranged for a new lawyer to represent him in his appeal. His original lawyer, Elliot Weinstein, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
, and has dropped the case to focus on recovery.
In October 2008, Entwistle's parents filed a complaint of harassment with the PCC
against their local newspaper, the Worksop Guardian. The complaint was rejected by the PCC.
Neil's 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. Neil's mother has said, “The evidence points to Rachel murdering our grandchild and then committing suicide”.
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.
In June, 2011 Entwistle launched an appeal of his conviction for murder. His legal team are expected to argue that two searches of the family home were carried out without warrants, contrary to federal and state constitutions, and the evidence seized as a result should have been suppressed during the trial.
with the name Souza on the grave.
in Bridgewater, Massachusetts
. Department of Correction spokesman Diane Wiffin stated that Entwistle's transfer was part of the state's inmate classification process that takes a prisoner's safety into account, confirming that the threats against Entwistle's life were quite serious. Entwistle spent a total of five months in Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
man convicted of murdering his American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
wife, Rachel, and their infant daughter Lillian on 20 January 2006 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
, US.
Early life
Entwistle was born near NottinghamNottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
and attended the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
receiving a Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering. He grew up in Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
with his parents Cliff and Yvonne and his younger brother, Russell. While at university he met Rachel Souza and they married on 23 August 2003 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They lived in Worcestershire where their daughter Lillian was born on 9 April 2005. Neil Entwistle worked in IT and Rachel as a teacher of English at St Augustine's Catholic High School in Redditch. On emigrating to the US the couple stayed with Rachel's mother and stepfather in Carver, Massachusetts
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,163 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2008 population of 11,574. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.- Demographics :...
before finding a house of their own.
Aftermath of murders
The bodies of 27-year-old Rachel and 9-month-old Lillian were found on 22 January 2006 in the master bedroom of the couple's rented Hopkinton, MassachusettsHopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
home where the Entwistles had been living for only ten days. Autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
results showed that Rachel died of a gunshot
Gunshot
A gunshot is the discharge of a firearm, producing a mechanical sound effect and a chemical gunshot residue. The term can also refer to a gunshot wound caused by such a discharge. Multiple discharges of a firearm or firearms are referred to as gunfire. The word can connotate either the sound of a...
wound to the head and the baby died of a gunshot wound to the torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
.
Just hours after the deaths of his wife and daughter Entwistle purchased a one-way ticket to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
about 5:00 AM EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on 21 January and boarded a British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
flight that left at 8:15 AM.
On 23 January, Hopkinton Police located Entwistle at the home of his parents, Clifford and Yvonne Entwistle, in Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Entwistle told them that he left his Hopkinton home at around 9:00 AM EST three days previously to run an errand and that his wife and daughter were both alive and well and in the bed in the couple's master bedroom. When he returned at around 11:00 AM EST, he claimed to have found both had been shot dead. He then covered the bodies of his wife and infant daughter with a blanket. He did not alert authorities.
Entwistle told the police 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 his father-in-law Joseph Materazzo's house to get a .22 caliber handgun
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
. Finding the house locked, he told police that he then decided to fly home to England to see his parents.
Entwistle's speedy departure from the scene of the deaths of his family was not the only reason authorities questioned his version of the events. Entwistle's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
was found on the handle of the same .22 handgun owned by his father-in-law that he told authorities he'd only used the weapon once months earlier while practising at his father-in-law’s shooting club. Additionally, DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
matching that of his wife Rachel was found on the gun's muzzle
Muzzle (firearm)
The muzzle of a firearm is the end of the barrel from which the projectile will exit.Precise machining of the muzzle is crucial to accuracy, because it is the last point of contact between the barrel and the projectile...
. Also, a set of keys to Materazzo's house were found in the car Entwistle left at Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Logan Airport.
A search of Entwistle's computer also revealed that days before the murders, Entwistle looked at a website that described "how to kill people" and searched for escort services. Contrary to outward appearances, Entwistle had been unemployed since September 2005 and was essentially penniless at the time of the killings. Authorities suspected a financial motivation for the killings.
Initial police investigation
On 21 January, the day after the murder is alleged to have been committed, police officers attended the Entwistles' home at 20:27 EST following up a call by Rachel Entwistle's mother and a friend. The police however failed to find the bodies of Rachel and Lillian after making only a cursory check. A second search, the following evening, revealed the bodies which had been previously obscured by the bedding.On 23 January, police investigators then contacted Neil Entwistle at his parents' home in Worksop, England. According to reports, Entwistle told police that he had found the bodies of his wife and baby dead at about 11:00 EST on the 20th, and had no idea who killed them.
Police subsequently named Entwistle as a person of interest in the investigation before later issuing an international arrest warrant. After he was traced to London, on 9 February 2006, Entwistle was arrested on a Tube
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
train at Royal Oak station
Royal Oak tube station
Royal Oak tube station is a station of the London Underground, on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, between and stations. The station is on Lord Hills Bridge and is in Travelcard Zone 2 for the London Underground. Although not heavily used at other times, the station is extremely busy...
, following detailed searches by officers at his parents' house. After an initial request that he not be sent back to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he later agreed to be extradited.
District attorney's statement
The then Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Martha Coakley
Martha Coakley
Martha Mary Coakley is the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to serving as Attorney General, she was District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2007....
(who successfully prosecuted British au pair Louise Woodward
Louise Woodward
The Louise Woodward case concerned a young English au pair convicted, at age 19, of the 1997 involuntary manslaughter of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen while he was in her care in his home in Newton, Massachusetts, in the United States...
in 1997) told a press conference
News conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
after Entwistle’s arrest:
Arrest and events prior to trial
One week after the funeral of his wife and daughter, on 8 February 2006, Neil Entwistle was arrested by the Extradition Unit of London's Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
at the Royal Oak underground station. Initially refusing to agree to his extradition, Entwistle eventually agreed to waive his right to contest the extradition order and was flown to the United States on 15 February where he was arraigned at Framingham
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
District Court
Courts of Massachusetts
Before 1978, all trial courts except the Land Court were county or local courts funded through the counties. The Massachusetts Trial Court was created by Chapter 478 of the Acts of 1978 that reorganized the courts into seven Trial Court Departments...
and ordered to be held without bail at Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
Jail in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
.
A month later on 28 March, Entwistle was indicted on two counts of murder, the illegal possession of a firearm and the illegal possession of ammunition. On 11 April, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and was again ordered to be held without bail. Over the following months Entwistle's legal team, led by Elliot Weinstein, fought proposals by the prosecution to use DNA evidence and argued, in both cases unsuccessfully, to have the case dismissed.
In December 2006, nearly a year after the death of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle, officers at the Middlesex County Jail where Neil Entwistle was being held found letters to his parents and to his legal team which, according to the addressees, indicated he was depressed and may be contemplating suicide. As a result Entwistle was initially transferred to the Bridgewater State Hospital
Bridgewater State Hospital
Bridgewater State Hospital, located in southeastern Massachusetts, is a state facility housing the criminally insane and those whose sanity is being evaluated for the criminal justice system. It was established in 1855 as an almshouse. It was then used as a workhouse for inmates with short...
for mental evaluation before being returned to Middlesex.
In the following months, Elliot Weinstein raised further (unsuccessful) legal argument requesting the suppression of evidence found in the family home. The basis for the motion was that Entwistle had not given police or prosecutors permission to enter the home without a warrant.
On 11 September 2007, Entwistle's legal team successfully requested that the trial, due to start on 1 October 2007, be rescheduled to allow the lawyers time to analyse the evidence. Later, on 14 November, Elliot Weinstein requested a further delay and the trial was then rescheduled to March 2008. Subsequently the illness of one of Entwistle's lawyers, Stephanie Page, led to a further delay before a new trial was finally set at 2 June 2008.
In early June 2008, Middlesex Superior Court
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
began a lengthy juror selection process, punctuated by legal argument that the delay in the trial date and the high profile nature of the murders meant that the defendant would not receive a fair trial. Some media reported that potential jurors were indicating that they formed significant views on the defendant's guilt or otherwise prior to the trial.
Trial and conviction
His trial for murder began on 2 June 2008 in Woburn, MA. He was found guilty on all charges on 25 June 2008 and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on 26 June 2008. During sentencing, Judge Diane Kottmyer made it clear that a life sentence for 1st Degree Murder in Massachusetts is an actual whole life sentence, meaning that Entwistle is destined to die in jail unless he receives a Governor's pardon or successfully appeals his conviction.The formal legal fight in the trial ended on 23 June. After deliberating for nine hours over two days, on 25 June 2008, the jury found Entwistle guilty as to the charge of first degree murder. He was also found guilty of the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on 26 June 2008, the mandatory sentence for someone convicted of first degree murder in the state of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Judge Diane Kottmyer imposed two concurrent life sentences on the murder charges and ten years of probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
on the firearms and ammunition charges to run concurrent with the life sentences, conditional that he never profit from the sale of his story.
Entwistle was first incarcerated at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center is a maximum security prison located at MCI Shirley in Shirley, Massachusetts, United States. The prison opened September 30, 1998 and is one of the most high-tech correctional facilities in the United States....
, although Judge Kottmyer originally said that he would serve his sentences at MCI-Cedar Junction
Massachusetts Correctional Institution - Cedar Junction
The Massachusetts Correctional Institution—Cedar Junction , formerly known as MCI-Walpole, is a maximum security prison with an average daily population of approximately 800 adult male inmates under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Correction. It was opened in 1956 to replace...
.
Aftermath and appeals
Entwistle's conviction is automatically appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial CourtMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
. He now has the right to appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
a number of times and the appeals process may stretch over several years. In September 2008, it was revealed that Neil had arranged for a new lawyer to represent him in his appeal. His original lawyer, Elliot Weinstein, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
, and has dropped the case to focus on recovery.
In October 2008, Entwistle's parents filed a complaint of harassment with the PCC
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
against their local newspaper, the Worksop Guardian. The complaint was rejected by the PCC.
Neil's 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. Neil's mother has said, “The evidence points to Rachel murdering our grandchild and then committing suicide”.
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.
In June, 2011 Entwistle launched an appeal of his conviction for murder. His legal team are expected to argue that two searches of the family home were carried out without warrants, contrary to federal and state constitutions, and the evidence seized as a result should have been suppressed during the trial.
Memorials
Rachel and Lillian Rose Entwistle were buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Kingston, MassachusettsKingston, Massachusetts
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...
with the name Souza on the grave.
Shaving incident and prison transfer
In August 2008, Entwistle had been tricked into shaving his head in an attempt to secure the protection of a white supremacist prison gang. Instead of giving Entwistle protection the gang had reportedly said "It’s a nice gesture on your part but we're gonna kill you". Entwistle was put into protective custody inside the prison shortly afterwards. On 17 December, he was transferred to the medium security prison Old Colony Correctional CenterOld Colony Correctional Center
Old Colony Correctional Center is a Massachusetts Department of Correction prison for men in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The medium security facility is located in a plot of land in the Bridgewater Correctional Complex with the Bridgewater State Hospital, Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse...
in Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
. Department of Correction spokesman Diane Wiffin stated that Entwistle's transfer was part of the state's inmate classification process that takes a prisoner's safety into account, confirming that the threats against Entwistle's life were quite serious. Entwistle spent a total of five months in Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center
Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center is a maximum security prison located at MCI Shirley in Shirley, Massachusetts, United States. The prison opened September 30, 1998 and is one of the most high-tech correctional facilities in the United States....
.