Martin MacNeill, Utah Doctor, Found Guilty In Wife’s Murder

Utah doctor Martin MacNeill has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife Michele McNeil in April 2007.

MacNeill, 57, has maintained throughout the trial that his wife’s death had been an accident. But jurors ultimately sided with the prosecutors, who claimed that the doctor had intentionally drugged his wife before drowning her, reported CNN. Prosecutors claimed that MacNeill was motivated by a desire to be free to carry on with his former mistress.

MacNeill was also found guilty of obstruction of justice. Following his wife’s shocking death, he reportedly took steps to impede the investigation of the law enforcement officials assigned to the case. MacNeil had pled not guilty to this charge as well.

Despite MacNeill’s claim that the death was an accident, and his lawyer’s argument that Michele MacNeill died of natural causes, the jury was moved to find the defendant guilty. Alexis Somers, one of MacNeill’s daughters, is convinced of his guilty and satisfied with the verdict. However, his eldest biological daughter, Rachel MacNeill, wept as she heard her dad found guilty of her mother’s death.

MacNeill faces 15 years to life in prison for first-degree murder, and an additional 15 years behind bars for obstruction of justice. His sentencing date has yet to be revealed.

– Chelsea Regan

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