Man Accused Of Killing Wife Had Drug Habit, Strained Marriage: Prosecutors

REVERE, MA – A man accused of killing his wife, an elementary school teacher in Lynn, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Wednesday. Andrew MacCormack, 29, pleaded not guilty to charges that he murdered his wife at their Revere home over the weekend and attempted to cover it up before police arrived.

Vanessa MacCormack was found unresponsive at 93 Grand View Ave. around 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, following a 911 call placed by her husband, police said. Her body showed "obvious signs of physical trauma," according to the Suffolk District Attorney's office. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner's preliminary findings indicate that she suffered a blunt-force injury to the head, sharp-force injuries to the neck and asphyxiation. Investigators believe her killer made an effort to clean up the crime scene and dispose of items related to her death.

At MacCormack's arraignment Wednesday, prosecutors alleged his drug use was costing the family hundreds of dollars a week. His wife, with whom he shared a 1-year-old daughter, had reportedly threatened divorce unless he got clean and stopped draining the family's resources, the Boston Globe reported.

In an Aug. 31 text message exchange presented in court, Vanessa MacCormack allegedly told her husband she would look into selling their home and finding a divorce lawyer, to which he replied, "Ur [sic] crazy I'm not signing anything to sell the house or get divorced."

MacCormack's attorneys argued that though the couple had their issues, they were largely happy. According to the Boston Globe, MacCormack shook his head repeatedly as prosecutors detailed the evidence they believe implicates him in his wife's murder.

"Prosecutors and police detectives have worked literally around the clock since Saturday afternoon to solve Vanessa’s murder," Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley said in a statement following Andrew MacCormack's arrest on Tuesday. "The evidence suggests that her murder was a crime of domestic violence, committed in the very place where she should have been safest – her own home."

Vanessa MacCormack taught second grade at Connery Elementary School in Lynn for five years. In a statement earlier this week, Connery School Principal Mary Dill described her as a "talented, dedicated and passionate educator and a loyal, kind and compassionate friend and colleague."

"Our school community is heartbroken," Dill continued. "Vanessa was loved by students, parents and colleagues. She was involved in every aspect of the school and a great friend to everyone on the staff. She will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family."

Image via Mass. State Police