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Jurors Shown Bloody Pajamas In Entwistle Trial

Man Charged In Deaths Of Wife, Baby

POSTED: 8:46 am EDT June 16, 2008
UPDATED: 6:33 pm EDT June 16, 2008

Testimony in the murder trial of Neil Entwistle focused Monday on how his wife and 9-month-old daughter were killed.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that it was an emotional day for the families. The 29-year-old is accused of shooting his wife, Rachel, 27, and their 9-month-old daughter, Lillian Rose, in January 2006 in their rented Hopkinton home because he faced heavy debt and was unhappy with his sex life.

Deanne Dygan, of the state police crime lab, testified about the clothing worn by the victims when they were shot to death.

"I concluded that it was a contact shot," Dygan said. "A contact shot is a shot from a firearm when the firearm is pressed directly against the target."

Dygan said that the person who shot Lillian did so with the gun pressed against the baby's chest, so that the fabric of the child's sleeper was indented and burned.

The sight of the bloody clothing was so disturbing that Neil Entwistle's parents lowered their heads and refused to look.

"As you can see, there is heavy red and brown staining on the chest area, stomach and also the back left arm," Dygan said.

The prosecution also introduced Rachel Entwistle's bloody pajama top. Dygan said that two of the three holes in the chest area of the garment revealed gunshot residue. Her underwear revealed the presence of sperm cells.

Dygan also testified that she prepared DNA swabs from the Colt Diamondback .22 revolver that investigators say was used in the slayings. She said that she found something more than blood on the end of the muzzle.

"I observed a white stain and a brown, gel-like material on the end of the barrel or the end of the muzzle," she said.

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