On a cold January day in 2006, a quiet, upscale neighborhood in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, became the scene of a heart-wrenching tragedy. Inside their newly rented home, 27-year-old Rachel Entwistle and her infant daughter, nine-month-old Lillian Rose Entwistle, were found dead. The young mother, whose maiden name was Souza, and her baby had been fatally shot.
The discovery of their bodies on January 22nd sent shockwaves through the community and sparked an international investigation that would ultimately unravel a story of deceit and financial desperation.
In the initial days of the investigation, Rachel's husband and Lillian's father, a British man named Neil Entwistle, was identified as a person of interest. He had abruptly flown back to his native England shortly after the time of the murders. Friends and family grew concerned after the couple failed to show up for a dinner party they were hosting. When police initially checked the home, nothing seemed amiss. However, two days later, the bodies of Rachel and Lillian were discovered in the master bedroom, nestled together under a comforter. Autopsies later revealed that Rachel had been shot in the head, and Lillian in the torso.
The focus of the investigation quickly centered on Neil Entwistle. It was discovered that he had taken a firearm from his father-in-law's home. His DNA was found on the grip of the. 22 caliber handgun, and Rachel's DNA was on the muzzle. Investigators uncovered that Neil was leading a secret life, deep in debt and running fraudulent online businesses. It is believed that the pressure of his mounting financial problems and the facade of a successful life he had created for his wife and her family led him to commit the murders. He was extradited from the United Kingdom and stood trial in Massachusetts.
During the trial, prosecutors painted a picture of a man who was unhappy with his life in America and who saw murder as a way out of his troubles. His defense team suggested a murder-suicide scenario, but the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to Neil as the perpetrator. In 2008, Neil Entwistle was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring that he would spend the rest of his days behind bars for the brutal killing of his wife and infant daughter. He has since been serving his sentence at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
