WOBURN - Neil Entwistle came home on Jan. 20, 2006, and found his wife Rachel, 27, and daughter, Lillian Rose, dead, victims of a murder-suicide, his lawyer said during closing arguments today. But, prosecutor Michael Fabbri argued there were two sides to Neil Entwistle - the loving husband and father everyone believed him to be and the cold-hearted killer who reached his breaking point.

Prosecutor Michael Fabbri demonstrated to jurors during his closing argument how Rachel Entwistle would have had to grab the gun at the end if Neil Entwistle was pointing it at her. Her DNA was found only on the end of the muzzle.

POOL PHOTO BY ADAM HUNGER

Defense: Rachel killed Lillian and herself; Prosecution: Neil killed wife and baby

Neil Entwistle came home on Jan. 20, 2006, and found his wife Rachel, 27, and daughter, Lillian Rose, dead, victims of a murder-suicide, his lawyer said during closing arguments today.

But, prosecutor Michael Fabbri argued there were two sides to Neil Entwistle - the loving husband and father everyone believed him to be and the cold-hearted killer who reached his breaking point.

Defense lawyer Elliot Weinstein said Entwistle saw Joe Matterazzo's gun on the bed and knew instantly Rachel killed herself and their daughter.

"His foremost purpose was to protect Rachel's memory, to protect her honor," Weinstein said. He said Entwistle returned the gun to the Carver home and left the country, because "Neil's entire family, his only reason for being in the United States, was gone."

Investigators developed a "Neil filter," which would not allow them to consider any possibility someone other than Entwistle murdered the pair.

They did not collect evidence that could prove Rachel, who may have been depressed, killed herself.

He pointed to the actions of Joanna Gately the day of Jan. 21. He said she was unreasonably concerned that the Entwistles were not home that day.

"What logical reason did Joanna Gately have to stay? Maybe Rachel confided in her," said Weinstein. "Joanna's actions were consistent with someone who was concerned with a best friend's state-of-mind."

Weinstein said Entwistle may have frequented internet sex sites, but that was not a motive for murder.

Entwistle, if he really planned the murders, would have gotten rid of the laptops and would have had a better follow-up plan rather than trying to get as much money from ATMs as possible and buying a plane ticket at the counter.

"The deaths of Rachel and Lillian are an uninmaginable tragedy," said Weinstein. "Nothing can be done to bring them back. Please do not compound that tragedy."

Fabbri argued the suicide theory makes no sense.

"Why would Rachel want to commit suicide?" said Fabbri. "Rachel was back at home. She had a car. She had her family and she thought she had a loving husband."

Entwistle, on Jan. 20, drove to Carver, then back to Hopkinton and shot both his wife and daughter and returned the gun before fleeing to England, Fabbri said.

"There is one person responsible for this and that person is sitting right there," said Fabbri, pointing at Entwistle, while Entwistle's father shook his head no.

"This was not a suicide. This was not a stranger homicide," said Fabbri. "This was, unfortunately, a homicide committed by a husband against his family."

The jury will now be charged by Judge Diane Kottmyer. She will explain the rules of the law for the charges the jury must consider, first- or second-degree murder. Then the jury will deliberate.

- By Norman Miller