Life appeared to be going pretty good for 27-year-old American born Rachel Entwistle. She and her British born husband, Neil Entwistle, also 27, had a new daughter and were moving into a new rental home outside of Boston. This happy picture ended, however, when Rachel and infant daughter, Lillian, were found shot to death in their snow covered home a about two weeks ago. The Entwistles were scheduled to host a dinner party for family and friends on Saturday, Jan 21. When family and guests arrived for dinner, the home was dark and no one answered the door. Investigation revealed no had spoken to the Entwistles since Thursday, Jan 19, and it now appears that Neil caught a plane from Boston to London on Fri the 20th. Here comes the challenge:
From the forensic and the investigative side of this matter, the case is initially challenged as Rachel's mother had police search the Entwistle's home at about 8:30 PM, Sat the 21st, the night of the scheduled dinner party. A police officer somehow entered the locked residence, looked around, and reported no sign of any problem at the residence and left.
The next morning (Sunday) family and friends reentered the Entwistle's home and again searched around and found noting of note.
Then the police reentered the residence that same evening (Sunday) and smelled decaying flesh. They then climbed the steps to the second floor and it was there they discovered Rachel with her daughter in her arms, both shot to death and lying under a pile of covers on the bed in the master bedroom. Evidently one bullet had passed through both mother and daughter, and a second bullet had been fired into Rachel's head. Someone wanted them dead and made sure their crime succeeded.
The problem for the local medical examiner is that time of death becomes hard to set once a body starts to decompose; evidently the case in this situation. What is critical, of course, is when Neil was last with his family, i.e., does the believed time of death of the mother and daughter fit with the time Neil flew from the country, or could it suggest the two murder victims were perhaps killed after he left? But the lingering question, of course, is why did he leave in the first place, why did neither he nor his wife notify their family and friends, and why has he not rushed back to help solve the murder of his family?
The crime scene at the Entwistle home, because of the "visitors to the house," may have been contaminated by well meaning police officers, Rachel's family and other mutual friends on the two or three different occasions that they entered and left the now believed crime scene. As the Entwistles just moved into the house, there could also be hairs, fibers, etc., in the home that were related to the previous tenants, etc., and of course to any police officer, family member, friend or other first responder who walked through the house on Saturday and Sunday. Because of this the crime scene is challenging and could eventually prove to be a weak link in this case.
If the victims, as believed, were killed with a small caliber firearm, probably a handgun, perhaps a .22 or .25, is there any history of the Entwistles owning such a weapon, or did they have any contact with anyone who did? If the weapon was not left at the crime scene, it may still be in possession of the offender, or perhaps disposed of in a manner designed to deny law enforcement access to it. The clothing of the shooter, and any gun shot residue on his/her body, etc., could also be long gone. Some suggest this was a "professional hit," noting such "professionals" many times use a .22 revolver as a weapon of choice.
Law enforcement will need to develop a tight time line for the last week that Rachel and her daughter were in their home, and the contacts that they and Neil had that week. Time of death, physical evidence at the crime scene, time of travel for Neil, and any telephone calls, computer entries, etc., for the family will be important, as will credit card bills, airline reservations, and contacts with others.
Should Neil, as some suggest, have refused to be interviewed by Mass authorities when they recently traveled to the UK, then it will be up to the authorities to perhaps solve this double murder without his assistance and cooperation. Should authorities believe Neil is somehow involved, it will be challenging to get him back to the USA. As a British citizen, the US and the local Mass authorities will need prepare a compelling case to persuade British authorities to extricate him back to the America. Even though Mass does not have the death penalty (something that would probably preclude Neil's extradition), it will still take time and work to get him back to the States. In the mean time authorities must look at what enemies the Entwistles may have developed, especially related to Neil's alleged Internet schemes, scams, and other pyramid type sales. We're told that at least one of his Internet sites was shut down on or about 1/9, probably around the time they moved into the house that rented for $2,500 per month. Some web sales "customers" were angry at being cheated by Neil (noting some Internet accounts may have been in Rachel's name), but were any of those allegedly cheated by Neil angry enough to kill Rachel, and her 9-month-old daughter? Any could any unknown assailant have even found their residence, again noting that the Entwistles had just moved in.
This is going to be a tough case without Neil Entwistle's cooperation, and tougher still due to the potential forensic contamination of the crime scene. We've seen similar forensic investigative challenges in the death investigations of Nicole Brown Simpson, Ron Goldman, Jon Benet Ramsey, and many others. Although many believe that Neil is the logical suspect (or the more politically correct term -- person of interest), it is up to investigators and scientists to prove their case, this while Neil stays back in the good old UK, drinking a pint or two while he too waits for the results of the US investigation that he, apparently, refuses to assist. He did not return for the funeral of his wife and daughter on Wednesday. It would have made that solemn and sad occasion into a media circus. He is, after all, innocent until proven otherwise ...
(For more information concerning personal security, see www.LiveSecure.org.)
Email Clint at CVZ@msnbc.com
Clint is a frequent contributor to The Abrams Report, Weeknights at 4 & 6 p.m. ET on MSNBC TV
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