Woman Guilty In Upper Makefield Murder, Jury Decides

UPPER MAKEFIELD, PA — A 34-year-old Bucks County woman is guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of an Upper Makefield man in 2017, a jury decided Friday.

Jennifer Morrissey, who was a Doylestown resident at the time of her arrest, was found guilty after a trial in Bucks County court. The jury determined she murdered Michael McNew, 64, in his Washington Crossing home in August 2017.

"Today, justice was finally served in the murder of Michael McNew. A short time ago, a Bucks County Jury found Jennifer Morrissey guilty of first degree murder and upon sentencing, she will spend the rest of her life behind bars," Upper Makefield police announced.

Morrissey testified that the shooting was self defense, but prosecutors maintained it was plotted and happened following an argument between the pair. Authorities say she killed McNew, who she allegedly called her "sugar daddy," after he cut her off from financial assistance.

McNew was found in a chair at his Washington Crossing home with a bullet wound to his head on Aug. 8 — two days after he was shot.

Prosecutors said Morrissey, who had shared McNew's house for at least two years, was being evicted after the two had a falling out. She sent him several threatening text messages, then went to his house "against McNew's wishes" and shot him to death with his own handgun, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

In the text messages obtained by detectives, Morrissey told McNew she was going to "stab ya" and "gut you like I'm field dressing a [expletive] deer."

She then went back to the house after the shooting to stage a robbery scene. Prosecutors said she then tried to hide her role by sending notes over Facebook Messenger about benign topics like motorcycles and doctors appointments.

"One mentioned some new colors she was considering for her motorcycle; the other asked how a recent doctor's visit had gone," information from the Bucks County District Attorney's office said.
Morrissey.

Photo via Bucks DA