In Session: Sidebar  « Back to Blog Main
June 16, 2008
Posted: 10:41 AM ET

WOBURN, Massachusetts – Something was wrong in the Entwistle household in December 2005 and January 2006. At least that’s the impression eBay fraud investigator Jeremy Roybal gave jurors as he detailed buyer complaints about a non-responding seller, Neil Entwistle.

As I write this, jurors still don’t know what was being sold on eBay but they learned that the five accounts were opened between 2003 and 2006. The last account was established on January 5, 2006-apparently the only one in Rachel Entwistle’s name.

The DA says that financial troubles were a motive for defendant Neil Entwistle in the killing of his 27-year-old wife and 9-month-old daughter. The Entwistles had relocated to the U.S. from the U.K. in the fall of 2005. By mid-January 2006, Neil Entwistle was still unemployed and whatever income he generated from online sales had apparently dried up.

Enwistle’s mother, Yvonne, lost her composure in court last week as she watched her son sob while viewing the crime scene video that included the bodies of his wife and daughter in their new home. Friday, she sat stoically in court with her husband, Clifford, and younger son, Russell. On the other side of the courtroom, equally stoic, sat Rachel Entwistle’s mother and stepfather, Priscilla and Joe Mattarazzo.

Testimony continues today.

–Beth Karas, In Session correspondent

Filed under: Beth Karas • Dad accused of killing family • Trials


Share this on:
Kim   June 16th, 2008 11:21 am ET

My question is: Who were the police going to ask to search the house. Neil was gone and Rachel was dead. I would think that they had just cause after they found the bodies.
The defense must be worried.. As for Neil taking the stand, I would love to see him up there. The prosecution would tear him apart.

Marnie   June 16th, 2008 11:51 am ET

I’m just starting to get caught up with this trial.
I was just wondering if Rachel could have shot herself??

Sheila Beers   June 16th, 2008 12:00 pm ET

I have heard unidentified DNA was found on the murder weapon. Could it be someone besides Entwistle and the Matterazzos had access to the Matterazzo house?

Also, Ms. Dygan failed to test a brown-stained towel found in the bathroom of Entwistle’s home. Is this towel still available and can it be tested for evidence?

Although they knew Rachel and Lillian were missing and/or dead from gunshot wounds the previous day, why did the Matterazzos pursue their practice of taking their guns, including the murder weapon, to the gun club for target shooting?

Ray   June 16th, 2008 12:53 pm ET

Using his father-in-law’s own gun had to be the ultimate stupid-human trick! Well, taking it back didn’t help! This guy is guilty, case closed.

Lina Churchill   June 16th, 2008 2:00 pm ET

I think Neil wanted to set it up to look like a murder suicide. His wife being the one to kill their daughter and then kill herself. But as we all know things don’t always go the way we want them to. Something went wrong and he covered up as much as he could and he fled.

Joseph H. Wolenski   June 16th, 2008 2:08 pm ET

Does the state really need an Ebay investigator to show motive for the killings? Has the State presented their forensic evidence yet? You don’t to prove a motive, but I guess for a case like this it can only help. I’m curious whether the prosecutor will argue “flight from scene” = defendant had a guilty mind.

Gina Gray   June 16th, 2008 2:53 pm ET

If Neil Entwistle did in fact find his family murdered and had nothing to do with the crime, covering the bodies is a reasonable natural response … but so is calling the police! Running away is not a natural response if free of guilt.

Mary Lanosa   June 16th, 2008 7:14 pm ET

OH MY GOSH! I want to know if the jury is able to stay awake while the defense attorney is speaking and cross examining witnesses. I have been watching but each time he comes to question witnesses I find myself nodding off. I have been on jury duty a couple of times and I have to say that in one case the defense attorney was so slow to speak, so boring that I just couldn’t pay attention. It was torture and made it very difficult to hear his side of things. ::::Yawn::::

Are they serving coffee when he is up in the courtroom? I hope so or the appeal, if there is one needed, will be based on Enwistle’s attorney’s inability to keep the jurors awake. Good Luck

Jan   June 16th, 2008 8:21 pm ET

Where was the step dad and the bother durning the time of the muders?

Tina   June 17th, 2008 1:07 pm ET

Did anyone confirm that baby Lillian was the child of Rachel and Neil?

Eileen Purcell   June 17th, 2008 1:23 pm ET

Everyone saying that they were a loving couple, does not carry any weight. Apparently, the so called loving couple was one person.
No one knows what goes on behing closed doors. But to kill your child! Why not divorce?

Sharon Jones   June 17th, 2008 1:40 pm ET

Beth and Ashley (My favorites)

If Neil drove the car in January (Snow on the ground) If by wearing gloves would that prevent gun residue from transferring to car?

DMGambe   June 17th, 2008 1:47 pm ET

I have tried to keep up with the case since the beginning. I’m not sure if I missed the answer to my questions.

1. When was the last time Neil was seen before the shootings.

2. The gun that was used to kill his wife and daughter: How did he get the gun out and back into the locked box in the bedroom of his inlaws house without being seen by somebody?

mr biggles slaw   June 17th, 2008 2:20 pm ET

How can people deposit their life savings into a machine that is programmed to make a lot of noise, process this noise and make a half-baked image of it all? Foreclosure happened. it didn’t have to.

UFO (united for ourselves)

Jessica   June 17th, 2008 2:21 pm ET

I keep hearing about bruising on the bodies. Could’nt this (or the appearance of ) be caused by blood pooling as the bodies lay in one positon?

debbie   June 17th, 2008 3:08 pm ET

Neil Entwistle was not crying…He WAS laughing..He couldn’t even hide his huge smile..He is one very sick man.Totally cold and callous..Out to save his own behind,not even a sign of sadness.Real bad person.

Linda Wagner   June 17th, 2008 4:25 pm ET

Looking at the snapshots of the house it shows snow on front lawn. As to having no gun powder residue in car, wouldn’t a person in the winter have a over coat and gloves on that would keep the residue from being transfered to steering wheel and car seats?

Linda W
Omaha, NE

GLENDA DUNCAN   June 17th, 2008 4:28 pm ET

HE’S GUILTY. I HOPE THIS JURY SEES THROUGH THIS SLICK, SNARKY LAWYER. HE SEEMS TO BE LAYING THE GROUND WORK TO ACCUSE RACHEL OF SUICIDE AND MURDER OF HER BELOVED DAUGHTER, LILLY.

bobbie   June 17th, 2008 4:51 pm ET

another defendant fled the scene in another famouse case, O.J. needed an alibi too. Neil has alot of answeering to do on this case, though I don’t think we’ll be hearing it from his mouth, but through his “mouth piece”.

ed murtha   June 17th, 2008 4:55 pm ET

he’s a total narcissist. probably spoiled by his parents. got away with a lot because of his charm and looks…to kill a baby is beyond the pale…worse than an animal. he shouldbe put in with the general population in prison.

leanne stone   June 18th, 2008 10:11 am ET

i would like to know when entwistle bought the plane ticket and was it one way or with a return flight. i have not heard that discussed. ( may have missed that information)
thank you

leanne stone

Joseph R. Jankowski   June 30th, 2008 12:27 pm ET

The trial I am watching is appauling. Remembering correctly my time at Disney world the Blacks whom I have nothing against have no Manners! They were the ones butting in line for the rides over 10 years ago. I believe that it is still going on because of their ignorance. When I was threatened in a line then the black person swung at me and said he was going to kill me. I caught his fist and then I broke his arm and I left the park quickly. but even though I hurt him what about the threat he created for my wife and children. I have been to many Parks and the Blacks have no Manners what so ever. I even still see this at our local park today and it has beem reported that the Blacks have threatened in the Lines, for my Grand Daughter is an attendent at one of these rides and she has told me that she gets really scared. So what do you people really know.

Leave Your Comment


 

Comments are moderated by CNN, in accordance with the CNN Comment Policy, and may not appear on this blog until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting. Also, due to the volume of comments we receive, not all comments will be posted.


subscribe RSS Icon
About this blog

Sidebar takes you behind the scenes of the day's legal headlines with breaking news and in-depth analysis from In Session's anchors and correspondents.

Contributors
Ashleigh Banfield
Co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield and Ford: Courtside
Ashleigh Banfield
Jack Ford
A former prosecutor and co-anchor of the daily trial program Banfield & Ford: Courtside
Jack Ford
Lisa Bloom
Anchor of the daily trial program Lisa Bloom: Open Court
Lisa Bloom
Jami Floyd
Former defense attorney and anchor of her own daily program Jami Floyd: Best Defense
Jami Floyd
Fred Graham
Senior Editor Fred Graham covers legal news in Washington, D.C.
Fred Graham
Jean Casarez
Attorney Jean Casarez covers trials around the country
Jean Casarez
Beth Karas
Former prosecutor Beth Karas covers trials around the country
Beth Karas
Categories
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
Home  |  World  |  U.S.  |  Politics  |  Crime  |  Entertainment  |  Health  |  Tech  |  Travel  |  Living  |  Business  |  Sports  |  Time.com
Podcasts  |  Blogs  |  CNN Mobile  |  Preferences  |  Email Alerts  |  CNN Radio  |  CNN Shop  |  Site Map
© 2008 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by WordPress.com