Dr. Martin MacNeill, a Utah physician on trial for murdering his wife in 2007, has been found guilty of first degree murder and obstruction of justice. The deceased, Michele MacNeil, a 50 year old former beauty queen, was drugged, drowned and found dead in her bathtub.
The 57 year old doctor's motive, good old fashion lust and love! It is believed that Martin MacNeil off'd his wife so that he could continue an affair with his lover, Gypsy Willis, who he met through an online service.
It was laid out by the prosecution that MacNeill coerced his wife into plastic surgery so that he could carry out the caper that ended her life. Over drugging his wife while she was in the bath so it would appear an accidental drowning was the plight provided to the jury. Prosecutors even suggest that MacNeill may have sealed the deal by holding his wife under the water.
The cause of death has been a topic of heated debate during the trial.
Defense attorneys for MacNeill argued that his wife suffered from heart problems and those were the ultimate factors leading to her death. Although his defense attorneys stipulated to their client making bad life-decisions, they advised jurors not to find him guilty based on their dislike for the defendant, or based on their emotions.
Four of MacNeill's daughters testified in the trial, with his oldest - Alexis Somers dropping a bomb when she claimed that she always believed her father killed her mother.
The trial concluded on Friday afternoon and it took the jury only 11 hours to decide MacNeill's guilt.
AP also reported that MacNeill was straight faced when his fate was handed to him, thanking his attorney and remaining composed throughout. MacNeill's daughters and other family members were more animated in their response to the verdict; emotions ran high and yelping and crying were involved when the verdict was announced to a fully populated courtroom.
MacNeill could be sentenced with 15 years to life for the first-degree murder charge. The obstruction charge could tack on 1 to 15 years. MacNeill was taken back to the Utah County jail where he will wait for sentencing, provided he cannot make the $1 million dollar bail mark.
MacNeill's sentencing will come down on January 7, 2014.
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