Massachusetts man who stabbed and strangled teacher wife to death using 'pretty extreme force' in 2017 found guilty
Suffolk Superior Court has found a 31-year-old Massachusetts man guilty of first-degree murder of his wife two years ago. Andrew MacCormack killed his wife, Vanessa Masucci, 30, who was a teacher at Lynn Elementary School in 2017. The jury deliberated for five days before the verdict.
The Boston Globe reported that prosecutors had identified the victim as Venessa McCormack before, but asked media outlets to identify her by her maiden name on Monday. “My daughter can rest in peace now,” Karen Masucci, Vanessa's mother, said, "justice was served.” At the time she was killed, she had a one-year-old daughter.
Vanessa was killed on September 23, 2017. Her body was found to have sustained blows to the face and head and her neck had been slashed and stabbed. She was strangled with "pretty extreme force" that crushed her windpipe, Assistant Suffolk DA Ian Polumbaum said. He had a drug problem and after the murder at the couple's Revere home, is said to have gone out to buy cocaine with his daughter in the car. She is also said to have been at home when the murder occurred.
He bought $100 worth of cocaine from a drug dealer, according to the Boston Herald and the police confirmed the purchase. He also tried to clean up the crime scene. “The place smelled of bleach,” the prosecutor reportedly said of the MacCormack's’ home. “The bedroom had been cleaned but the efforts had not removed all of the blood in the room.” The bathroom was reportedly so spotless that the only footprint found belonged to a police officer.
McCormack had told the police that he had come home to find his wife dead and had a plastic bag over her head. He had said he had removed it, but according to the prosecutors, it was his attempt to "catch blood". Money had been missing from a bank account belonging to them and Vanessa's wedding ring is also said to have gone missing. He had also said he had checked for a pulse and called 911, but the prosecutors said investigators did not find "even a speck" of the victim's DNA on him.
“It’s been so tough,” said Vanessa’s father, Vincent Masucci said to the Globe, “I’m so happy that the jury got it together and did the right thing.”