What Experts have to say
Our experts weigh in
Throughout the trial, the Daily News has invited a panel of experts to comment on what is happening in the courtroom. The panel members are: Wendy Murphy, a former Middlesex assistant district attorney and current victim/witness advocate; John LaChance, a former federal prosecutor and current defense lawyer based in Framingham, and Steve Huff, a professional crime blogger who runs two Web sites. Check back often for our experts' opinions. And if you want to share your opinion, visit our blog.
Timeline: So Far...
Jan. 16, 2006 -- Neil Entwistle visits the adult dating World Wide Web site "Adult Friend Finder."
Jan. 16 and 17 -- Entwistle views a Web site describing how to kill people. He also searches the internet on how to commit suicide, how to kill someone with a knife and euthanasia.
Jan. 18 -- Entwistle searches the internet for "escort services,'' including "Blonde Beauties Escort SVC.'' based in Worcester.
Coming Up
Neil Entwistle will serve his time at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley. His conviction will be appealed. Under Massachusetts law, all first-degree murder convictions are appealed.
Poll
To Express yourself, visit our blog: Entwistle Blog
Click on the headline above or "read more" below for brief updates from the courtroom throughout the day.
Neil Entwistle and his lawyers return to their seats after a sidebar discussion today.
POOL PHOTO BY DARREN MCCOLLESTER
COURTROOM UPDATE - 6/17/08: Friend said Neil told him he called 911
posted at 5:08 p.m.: Someone searched Google for the phrase "how to kill with a knife," on Neil Entwistle's lap top computer, a computer forensics investigator said today.
Medford Police Officer Lawrence James said the search was conducted on Jan. 16, 2006, four days prior to the murders of Rachel and Lillian Rose Entwistle.
James could not say who made the search, but the computer profile was ENT, which was password protected.
James was asked to help with the investigation by then Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley.
Also testifying today was Plymouth florist Kelly Egan. She took phone orders from Entwistle for funeral flower arrangements.
One was to be an intertwined orange rose and white lilies, with the message, "My Orange Rose and my Lilly for always. XOXOXOX"
Also Benjamin Prior, who was friends with both Neil and Rachel on the York University rowing team, testified about the version of the story of what happened that Neil gave to friends in England.
Entwistle told his friends he came home to 6 Cubs Path in Hopkinton, found the dead bodies and contemplated suicide.
Prior said Entwistle then told him he drove to Carver, again thought about suicide, but decided against it.
Instead, Entwistle told Prior, he found Rachel's mother, Priscilla Matterazzo, and told her about finding the bodies.
Entwistle told his friends he grieved with her family and then reported the deaths to police.
Priscilla Matterazzo had previously testified she never spoke to Neil, and Hopkinton Police officers have also testified about finding the bodies on Jan. 22. They also said Neil never reported the deaths.
posted at 1:26 p.m.: DNA expert Laura Bryant testified this morning that DNA tests only confirm the presence of DNA, but not how long it has been there.
Under cross examination by Neil Entwistle's defense lawyer, Elliot Weinstein, Bryant confirmed that the tests only can be used to determine who it came from.
"It does not describe who handled the item last? It does not describe who held the item longest? It doesn't describe who gripped the item the tighest?" Weinstein asked. Bryant siad the DNA tests do not and cannot confirm those things.
Computer testimony is expected after lunch.
posted at 11:35 a.m.: WOBURN - Judge Diane Kottmyer ruled today that several pieces of evidence related to Web searches on sex will be admissable as evidence.
Most of the Web information was discovered on Neil Entwistle's computer, and are from the week before the murders.
One of the sites mentioned was called Adult Friend Finder, an adult personals Web site.
It is unclear whether a nude photo alledged by prosecutors to be Neil Entwistle will be admitted. Defense attorneys say the photo isn't Entwistle.
Defense lawyer Elliot Weinstein fought the inclusion of the evidence, arguing it is too prejudicial.
Kottmyer ruled the prohibitive information overruled the prejudicial nature of the information.
Also today, state DNA expert Laura Bryant testified that Neil Entwistle's DNA was found on the grip of the gun allegedly used in the murder.
A second DNA sample was found on the grip, but it did not match any known samples, including the entire Matterazzo family.
Bryant did testify that Joe Matterazzo's DNA was found on the gun's trigger.
Matterazzo testfied last week that he and two of his sons went target shooting with the gun on Jan. 21, 2006, the day after Rachel and Lillian Rose were killed but one day before their bodies were found.
Neil Entwistle's DNA was originally obtained from a Dasani water bottle found in the family's BMW found parked at Logan Airport. That was later matched to Entwistle's DNA.
Rachel Entwistle's DNA was found on the barrel of the gun.
Also, Bryant said Neil Entwistle's DNA matched semen cells found on the inside of Rachel Entwistle's underwear.