WOBURN - As crime-scene video of his dead wife and daughter played in a courtroom yesterday, accompanied only by the sound of classical music in the background, Neil Entwistle openly wept.

Entwistle cries as crime-scene video shown

By Norman Miller/Daily News staff

WOBURN - As crime-scene video of his dead wife and daughter played in a courtroom Thursday, accompanied only by the sound of classical music in the background, Neil Entwistle openly wept.

Entwistle, 29, accused of killing his wife, Rachel, 27, and daughter Lillian Rose in Hopkinton more than two years ago, repeatedly covered his face and broke down as the 20-minute video played.

Soon after Entwistle began crying, his mother, Yvonne Entwistle, let loose with audible sobs, comforted by her tearful husband, Clifford, and her other son, Russell.

The video was entered into evidence Thursday, the ninth day of Entwistle's double-murder trial at Middlesex Superior Court.

Monitors were set up for the jury and lawyers to watch the video, away from the view of the spectators and press in court.

Judge Diane Kottmyer told the jurors they may feel sympathy for the victims, but they were "required to put aside any feeling and any other emotion,'' when it came time to decide a verdict.

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Mary Ritchie described what was on the video, taken early on the morning of Jan. 23, 2006, at 6 Cubs Path, Hopkinton.

She said a portion of the video featured investigators removing the blankets covering the bodies of Rachel and Lillian Rose.

The video, also featured close-up examinations of the bodies, including blood found on them and the bullet wound to the infant's chest, Ritchie said. The loud classical music was being played on a radio in Lillian Rose's bedroom, she said.

After court, Entwistle's lawyers, Elliot Weinstein and Stephanie Page, blasted several media reports throughout the day on the Internet and television that hinted that Entwistle was smiling and laughing, rather than crying.

"Some of you were reporting our client, Neil Entwistle, was smiling or laughing,'' said Weinstein. "We are offended by that kind of reporting.''

Weinstein said, when the video was being played, he watched the video while Page watched Entwistle.

"Stephanie was to watch Neil to make sure he was OK to see this horror that he did not commit,'' Weinstein said.

Page said, "There is no way Neil would be laughing. He's grieving. He lost his wife. He lost his baby.''

Page also urged the media to live up to their responsibility to report the news, not to seek out a "cheap headline, a cheap sound bite.''

Testifying for a second day, Ritchie described various attempts at getting fingerprints off several guns and ammunition collected from Rachel's parents' Carver home. Her stepfather, Joe Matterazzo, owned several guns, including a .22-caliber Colt revolver authorities believe Entwistle used to murder his wife and child.

Ritchie said she did not collect usable prints off any of the weapons, ammunition, gun boxes or gun locks.

In all, she said she tested more than 20 items for fingerprints, and compared them to the known fingerprints of 24 different people.

The known fingerprints came from several members of the Matterazzo family. Fingerprints were also collected from friends Joanna Gately and Maureen Gately, several police officers, Neil Entwistle, and Kim and David Puig, who rented the home to the Entwistles.

On Wednesday, Ritchie had testified only three comparable fingerprints were found in the house, and they belonged to Rachel, Neil and Kim Puig.

Weinstein also asked if Entwistle's laptop computer was tested for fingerprints, and Ritchie said it was not.

Forensic scientist John Soares described blood found on the bodies and on and around the bed where the murders occurred.

He said there was a spot of blood on the underside of the comforter, as well as three spots on the wall opposite Rachel Entwistle's body.

There was also blood on the pillow that covered Lillian Rose's head, as well as on the pillow underneath Rachel's head.

Blood had also soaked through Lillian Rose's sleeping clothing onto Rachel's chest.

Gunshot residue was also collected off Lillian Rose's clothing from around the bullet wound. Rachel Entwistle's hands were tested, but Soares did not testify to what the tests revealed.

State Trooper Emily A. Phaneuf, who worked with Ritchie to collect prints, also told Weinstein she did not dust the computer for prints.

Prior to moving the United States in 2005, Entwistle had applied for a job at Intrinsix Corp. of Marlborough, which at the time was in Westborough, as a computer engineer.

Intrinsix recruiter Lisa Scoutlas said she told Entwistle at the time there were no openings. He applied two other times, in September and again in December, the month before the murder.

In December, Scoutlas said Entwistle applied for a job he knew he was not qualified for, but he said he wanted to make sure the company knew he was still interested in working for them.

Prosecutors have said Entwistle, who was unemployed, committed the murders, in part, to hide mounting debt.