Would love your thoughts, please comment. And then, two years later, they were blessed with another baby boy. On June 5, 2005, investigators arrested Melanie McGuire and charged her with first-degree murder. Now the former fertility nurse is 47 years old and spending her life sentence in Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton, New Jersey. On April 26, 2004, Melanie had purchased a .38 caliber handgun from a store in Easton, Pennsylvania; Bill had been killed with a .38 caliber handgun with wadcutter bullets. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. McGuire and Miller began their affair in 2002 when she was pregnant with her second child, and their relationship continued until June 2005 when she was charged with her husband's murder. She said that they believe the garbage bags were a prop to sway the jury. Make up your mind. New Jersey Department of Corrections/Find a Grave Bill McGuire, 39, disappeared April 28, 2004, shortly after announcing to his friends that he and his wife had just closed the sale of their first home, according to an appeal filed in her case. However, prosecutors established that the informant was "entirely incredible and routinely and habitually fabricates stories" according to a New Jersey State Police investigation, before recanting and accusing McGuire's attorney of suborning perjury. Days later, an unidentified man, believed by many to be her stepfather, also contacted E-ZPass and attempted to have the charge removed. says the actress. After all these years, I still feel hurt. I grabbed the baby and went to the bathroom right behind me and shut the door. YouTube [9] The couple had two sons and lived in a Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, apartment, but planned to move that month to a larger home in Warren County. The news outlet reported in June, 2020, COVID-19 was spreading because of a low supply of protective masks, poorly enforced social distancing measures, and inadequate quarantining of infected inmates. Criminologists Dr. Meghan Sacks, and Dr. Amy Shlosberg dig into the evidence on the podcast. After reading about Melanie McGuire and the Suitcase Murder, discover the story of Nancy Brophy, the woman who wrote How To Murder Your Husband and may have indeed murdered her husband. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Melanie, who grew up in Brick, and William McGuire were married in 1999 and had lived with their two sons in Woodbridge at the time of the murder. [26], On September 25, 2014, McGuire appeared in court with her new attorney Lois DeJulio, a public defender, to try to get a hearing that could overturn her 2007 murder conviction, on the grounds that her previous legal representation by Joe Tacopina was inadequate or ineffective. Bill McGuire, 39, went missing on April 29, 2004. Prezioso said the evidence presented by the states computer forensic expert at trial was robust and Melanie McGuires legal team presented their own expert as well. The McGuire family resided in a Woodbridge Township apartment but had plans to move to a much larger home in Warren County by the end of April. The true crime drama sees Candice King take on the role of Melanie McGuire, and here is everything you need to know about her and her role in the case. The case is being featured on a two-hour ABC special, Suitcase Killer, which airs Friday, September 25, 2020 at 9 p.m. Eastern time. NEW BRUNSWICK - Melanie McGuire the former Woodbridge resident convicted of killing her husband, dismembering his body, packing it in suitcases and tossing it off a bridge in Virginia . Did Melanie McGuire dismember her husband? The prosecution argued McGuires motive was her affair with Dr. Bradley Miller, a partner at the medical practice RMA Associates. It was hard. A four-count indictment came down from a state grand jury. In April 2004, Melanie and Bill McGuire seemed to have it all: successful careers, two young sons and a new $500,000 home. However, not much else about the day was typical. (The court awarded custody to Bill McGuires sister, Cindy Ligosh.) NEW BRUNSWICK - Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that Melanie McGuire was sentenced to life in prison today for the 2004 shooting death of her husband, William McGuire, whose severed remains were found in three suitcases along the Virginia coast. William "Bill" McGuire was having a great day. Once Melanie spots Bills car from the highway, she decides shes going to move his car, said Shlosberg. Nothing in Melanie McGuires early life suggested shed turn to murder. Powered by. Prezioso believed the "human sawdust" was the result of Bill McGuire's dismemberment. After all, when Bill was murdered in 2004, he and Melanie were the proud parents of two beautiful young boys. So, as soon as the topic of custody arose, the two boys were sent to them, especially since Bill and Cindy were already great parents to their own adult children: Laura Ligosh and Max Ligosh. YouTubeMelanie McGuire says shes innocent and that someone else killed her husband, Bill, in 2004. Making matters worse, Melanie McGuire had called the company and attempted to have those charges removed. Suitcase Killer The Melanie McGuire Story is available to watch in Canada with a Philo subscription! I dont know how you would dismember a body and effectively clean that up, said McGuire. The victim, a coroner found, had been shot multiple times. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Lena Christine Kindschi of Perry, Oklahoma, who passed away on February 27, 2023, at the age of 92, leaving to mourn family and friends. It was while Melanie was pregnant for the second time, during the 38th week, that her affair with Dr. Bradley Miller, her co-worker in the fertility clinic where she worked as a nurse, began. A jury convicted McGuire in 2007, and she was sentenced to life in prison plus five years. During her interview with ABC News, McGuire shared a message for her sons, saying: "Make up your mind. On April 23, 2007, McGuire's murder trial jury found her guilty of first-degree murder, finding that the evidence established her culpability for the murder beyond a reasonable doubt. She didnt fit the profile, I guess, of a murderer, Shlosberg told 20/20. Melanie Mcguire has been languishing in a prison cell for the past 13 years. Where Are William and Melanie McGuires Kids Now. Prosecutors argued that she killed her husband so. In September 2020, Melanie McGuire sat down with 20/20 and gave her first interview in 13 years. Thirteen years have passed since Melanie McGuire's conviction. This suitcase was found to contain the head and torso with three bullet wounds, two in the chest and one in the head. ", Credit: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage; ABC, Amy Locane's prison cell roommate is the notorious Suitcase Killer. McGuire was sentenced to 63 years, eight months and 30 days to life for first-degree murder, five to 10 years for desecration of human remains, two years and six months to five years for third-degree perjury, and a maximum sentence of life for second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to her prison record. On April 28, 2004, the last day anyone ever saw Bill alive, Melanie had dropped off their sons, aged 2 and 4, at their daycare as routine at around 8:20 am. I still feel bothered. [9] Bill and Melanie owned a green couch, and investigators theorized that the murderer used a pillow or couch cushion as a makeshift silencer) to shoot Bill. "After all these years, I still feel hurt. McGuire told 20/20 she did not commit the crimes for which she was convicted. After finishing high school, she enrolled at Rutgers University for a double major in math and psychology, which she achieved in 1994. Born on October 8, 1972, Melanie Lyn Slate has spent all of her life in New Jersey growing up in Ridgewood and Middletown Township. She offered explanations for the stories she told police, such as her claim she stumbled across her husbands car in Atlantic City and moved it. Melanie and Bill McGuire pictured hugging at an unknown date. The killer is out there and its not me, Melanie told Robach. If I wanted to look for something like that, I have a [physicians' desk reference]. [8] She married United States Navy veteran William T. "Bill" McGuire (born September 21, 1964) in 1999. This stuff exists. She maintains her innocence and . Investigators, however, found it highly suspicious that Melanie had then tried to have 90-cent EZ Pass toll charges, which proved shed gone to Atlantic City, removed from her account. For the first time in years, she says she has hope that an explosive new podcast, "Direct Appeal," could help exonerate her. McGuire, who was convicted in 2007 of killing her husband Bill McGuire, said the hardest part has been not being able to watch her two sons grow up. Melanie had to withdraw her appeal after the prosecutors debunked the story, and so, on July 19, 2007, she was sentenced to life in prison. "It turned out that when the record check was done with Pennsylvania, a record came back that Melanie McGuire had purchased a gun," said Patti Prezioso, the lead investigator and prosecutor at Melanie McGuire's trial. Her trial began in March 5, 2007. Melanie McGuire has been dubbed the Suitcase Killer by the media for her role in butchering her own husband, William Bill McGuire, before packing up his remains into three suitcases and then disposing of them in the Chesapeake Bay. The body parts belonged to a New Jersey father of two named Bill McGuire, and police soon suspected that his wife, Melanie McGuire, had killed him. I cannot even think about that. Melanie McGuire was convicted in the grisly murder of her husband, Bill McGuire, whose body was found dismembered in suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay. Melanie McGuire says she isnt hoping for prison release, in a new jailhouse interview with @ARobach Friday at 9/8c during a new #ABC2020. She was sentenced to life in prison. The 47-year-old is currently serving a life sentence at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton, New Jersey . Indeed, she spent most of her time bringing new life into the world. Do you know how hard it is to cut through bone? Although investigators were unable to find physical evidence of murder inside the McGuire's home, they were able to find small pieces of Bill McGuire's flesh -- evidence that would eventually be referred to in the media as human sawdust -- from the car. Melanie McGuire, 34-years old, sentenced to life in prison for murdering her husband Photo Source: NJ.com (website) 3d 948 - NJ: Supreme Court 2011 - Google Scholar", "N.J. Supreme Court won't hear appeal of convicted 'suitcase killer', "Convicted killer Melanie McGuire seeking post-conviction relief in June hearing", "Suitcase killer Melanie McGuire seeks new review of evidence", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Melanie_McGuire&oldid=1142209125, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 02:58. Prosecutors also pointed to Melanie McGuire's supposed internet searches in the days leading up to Bill McGuires disappearance. Bill worked as a computer program analyst for a Newark, New Jersey college and Melanie worked as a fertility nurse, according to a 2011 appeal filed in her case. And shes not the only one who thinks that police arrested the wrong suspect. Five days after Bill McGuire went missing, investigators said Melanie McGuire made another bizarre road trip, this time to Delaware. Dig, dig. Her penalty is actually categorized as the following: life in prison for first-degree murder; life in prison for the possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; 10 years for desecrating human remains; and five years for perjury. Actress Candice King who is best known for her work in the Vampire Diaries will play McGuire. After a nearly month and a half long trial, Melanie McGuire was found guilty. A few weeks later, once Bills body was discovered and Melanie was identified as the prime suspect, Dr. Bradley had asked her to swear upon her childrens life that she had no hand in this homicide, which she did. by Sarah Jae Leiber Sep. 21, 2020. In the interview, she continued to say that she was innocent and asked her sons to look into the case and not believe what they were seeing. A grand jury returned a second indictment in 2006, charging her with eight additional counts regarding anonymous communications, according to the appeal filed in her case. Another important development for investigators was the discovery of Bill McGuire's car. Melanie McGuires story made national headlines in the mid-2000s, when she was charged with first-degree murder and dubbed the Suitcase Killer by some in the media. Or, learn about Stacey Castor, the Black Widow who killed two of her husbands with antifreeze. But just 48 hours later, 31-year-old Melanie requested a restraining order against him, alleging that he'd gotten violent during a fight the night before inside their New Jersey home. She says she is innocent. WOODBRIDGE - Former township resident Melanie McGuire has spent 13 years in prison after receiving a life sentence for the death of her husband, William McGuire, but in a new television. Police discovered Bill's car in Atlantic City and when they obtained surveillance footage, they discovered that McGuire had used a highway toll twice to drive to the location, and that she'd attempted to have the charges removed, per ABC News. Don't accept what you're just being told on the surface. There were two charges, totaling 90 cents, on her statement that proved she had driven to Atlantic City after her husband went missing. The Melrose Place actresswho is now serving a second sentence at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jerseyshares a prison cell with Melanie McGuire, the infamous "Suitcase Killer." this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Melanie McGuire, who is not eligible for parole until she is 101 years old, said the hardest part is not being there for her children. Its out there., Melanie McGuire said she's speaking in a new #ABC2020 interview tonight with @ARobach, 16 years after she was convicted of murdering her husband, because she believes "the killer is out there and it's not me." A few days later, a suitcase surfaced in a bay miles away with a horrifying discovery inside. According to some reports, in 2007, during Melanies murder trial, Cindy put it into evidence that both of her sister-in-laws children, then aged 5 and 7, had been positively diagnosed with autism. I just burst into tears, Melanie said of learning about her husbands death in a 2007 interview. Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for WomenMelanie McGuire prison record. Watch new at 9/8c on ABC. [9] Green fibers had been found on one of the bullets lodged in Bill's chest; the fibers were identified as polyester fill, a common material found in household furniture. McGuire had a message for her sons, who are now adults, "Make up your mind. Melanie says in the past, when theyre angry at each other, its a way of messing with each other, I guess you could say., It sounds beyond ridiculous sitting here saying it and I acknowledge that Its the truth, Melanie McGuire told 20/20.. Immediately after murdering Bill, according to the State, defendant embarked on a plan to conceal the crimes and to create the appearance that Bill had abandoned his family, his job, and his new house after a violent argument with her. Offers may be subject to change without notice. New Jersey Attorney Generals OfficeOne of the three suitcases that contained parts of Bill McGuires body. Guilty or not, Melanie McGuire, the so-called Suitcase Killer, remains an object of fascination. As Dr. Bradley Miller testified in the Melanie McGuire court case, there was an ongoing affair between himself and Melanie when Bill McGuire was killed. Download is FREE. So if you wish to learn more about her and her current whereabouts, heres what we know. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. At her televised trial, prosecutors explained that she had drugged Bill, shot him, and dismembered him. Melanie McGuire is serving a life sentence in the murder of her husband, Bill McGuire, at a women's correctional facility in New Jersey. They pulled out the piping, pulling floorboards up, said Sacks. I absolutely tried to have those charges taken off because I feared that people would look and think what they ultimately ended up thinking," McGuire said. 01: Three suitcases, containing human remains, surfaced in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay in May 2004. Murders A-Z is a collection of true crime stories that take an in-depth look at both little-known and famous murders throughout history. Prosecutors allege that McGuire, 34, shot him to death, sliced his body into four pieces with a power saw and then dumped his remains in the Chesapeake Bay. [24][25] On April 29, 2014, McGuire filed a motion for post-conviction relief, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and newly discovered evidence. The pair lived in Woodbridge, New Jersey where Bill worked at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and McGuire was a fertility clinic nurse in Morristown. He probably would have broken my cheek if it had been a closed fist, Melanie McGuire told 20/20. READ NEXT: Melanie McGuire Was Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Husband Bill. Melanie McGuire has been in prison for 13 years, but she still maintains her innocence, she said in an interview with 20/20. She told her sons, now adults, to look into the case for themselves. I just wanted to get away from him at that point. Police also learned that Melanie had been having a long-term affair with a co-worker named Bradley Miller. Dont accept what youre just being told on the surface. After they released a sketch to the public, one of Bill McGuires friends soon came forward. Meghan Sacks and Amy Schlosberg are the hosts of the podcast "Direct Appeal" and Fairleigh Dickinson University criminology professors.