by Shanna Hogan
And with Martin’s conviction, the darkness has finally receded.
They will each move forward and return to the business of remembering Michele.
Martin, meanwhile, will likely rot in prison every day for the rest of his life. If given the chance, he may again attempt to kill himself to escape the hell he created. Whether by suicide, illness, or old age, one day he will almost certainly die in prison, penniless and alone.
His death will not be mourned. There will be no funeral. He’ll probably be buried in a pine box in the prison cemetery.
Martin’s legacy will be that of a depraved murderer.
He lied to everyone. But his most dangerous lie was the one he told to himself—that he was untouchable.
His undoing was hubris.
By 2007, Martin’s ego had become so bloated he had lost all perspective. He almost always got away with his crimes and affairs. He convinced himself he was invincible and became reckless, risking everything to cheat, lie, and steal from the military.
Slowly he lost touch with the man he pretended to be.
Nothing said to or written about Martin could cause him to have one moment of introspection. In prison, he will never reflect back and question how his own actions led to his downfall. He will never mourn his wife. He will never feel empathy for destroying his family or alienating his children.
For there can be no soul-searching for a man without a soul.
Martin MacNeill is an empty vessel devoid of humanity, his heart blackened by depravity. His entire being revolves around the six-foot-three, 180-pound space his body consumes in this world.
Undeniably, he was a talented actor. He concealed his awful deeds and hid his poisonous thoughts. For years no one ever suspected there was corrosive evil coating his insides.
Reputation always meant so much to Martin—to be known as someone who was accomplished, successful, and good. The man who cared so much about image, who valued the appearance of perfection rather than showing a hint of frailty, will now be defined forever by his faults and deficits.
The world now knows his true wickedness.
Martin MacNeill has been exposed, a stranger no more.
In high school, the pretty and popular Michele Somers was once elected homecoming queen.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
Michele was known as a gorgeous, talented, intelligent, and kind young woman.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
In her youth, Michele modeled professionally.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
After meeting Martin MacNeill, Michele fell deeply in love. The couple married in February 1978.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
In 1979, Michele gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Rachel.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
During one vacation, Martin and Michele posed affectionately on the deck of a cruise ship.
Photos courtesy of the Somers family
In February 2006, the MacNeills moved into a sprawling estate in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
State’s Evidence
While recuperating from cosmetic surgery in 2007, Michele slept in a rented hospital bed situated inside her master bedroom.
State’s Evidence
On April 11, 2007, Michele was found dead in her bathtub by her youngest adopted daughter, Ada MacNeill.
State’s Evidence
During a brief police investigation, a detective discovered blood on the MacNeills’ bathroom floor.
State’s Evidence
Bloody gashes were documented on Michele’s scalp during the autopsy.
State’s Evidence
Paramedics deposited the bra and shirt Michele was wearing during the futile resuscitation efforts on the master bedroom carpet.
State’s Evidence
A year after his wife’s death, Martin fashioned a makeshift tombstone from cement for Michele’s grave.
Photograph by Linda Cluff
Within weeks of his wife’s passing, Martin proposed to his mistress, Gypsy Willis.
State’s Evidence
In 2009, Martin and his mistress were arrested for stealing the identity of his sixteen-year-old adopted daughter, Giselle MacNeill.
State’s Evidence
During the investigation, daughter Ada drew a picture of the position in which she found her deceased mother.
State’s Evidence
Defense attorney Randall Spencer would become Martin’s trusted legal advocate for more than seven years.
Courtesy of Randall Spencer
In court on identity theft charges, Gypsy wore a distincitive blazer once belonging to Michele.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
When he stood trial for his wife’s murder in 2013, Martin seemed to express no remorse.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
Lead prosecutor Chad Grunander would present a complex circumstantial case for murder against Martin.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
Doug Witney was the first investigator to seriously probe into Michele’s suspicious death.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
Jeff Robinson eventually became the lead investigator in the case against Martin.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
Michele’s daughter Alexis Somers was a driving force in the arrest and conviction of her father.
Associated Press/Pool Camera
On the stand, daughter Rachel was emotional as she spoke of her father’s betrayal.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
Gypsy appeared unrepentant as she testified in court about her affair with Martin.
Associated Press/Pool Camera
One of Martin’s former mistresses, Anna Osborne Walthall, told jurors about her lover’s dark discussions of death.
Associated Press/Pool Camera
Defense attorneys Randall Spencer and Susanne Gustin were optimistic before the verdict was delivered on November 9, 2013.
Al Hartmann/Pool Camera
At sentencing, Linda Cluff addressed her former brother-in-law and spoke about the pain of losing Michele.
Rick Bowmer/Pool Camera
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This was my third book but my very first case outside of my home state of Arizona. Stepping outside my comfort zone brought with it unique and interesting complications. There were many times throughout the writing process when I wished I could have walked away. Peering into Martin MacNeill’s twisted mind was so dark.
I have nothing but genuine respect and admiration for the determination of Linda Cluff and Alexis, Rachel, Vanessa, Elle, Giselle, Sabrina, Ada, and Noelle. You all have tremendous strength and spirit. For Doug Witney, Jeff Robinson, Chad Grunander, Sam Pead, and Jared Perkins—to watch you fight so passionately to help others was an honor.
Although not all of the subjects involved in this case granted my interview requests, I would like to thank each one who took the time to personally share their stories with me.
I’d especially like to thank the one person who held my hand and kept me going through this book—my former journalism professor, turned colleague, turned friend, who helped pre-edit the book out of order, the remarkable Christia Gibbons. You are a gifted and generous soul.
I owe special gratitude to my literary agent, Sharlene Martin, for her continual support of my career. Additionally, my gratitude goes out to my superb editors at St. Martin’s Press: April Osborn and Charles Spicer.
On a personal note, thank you to Kimberly Hundley for your editing advice. To my beloved Carol “Mimi” Hogan, for teaching me to read with Stephen King and Dean Koontz. To my entire family, namely my parents, Dann and Debbie Hogan, as well as my mother-in-law, Joann LaRussa—I truly love and appreciate you.
Most important, I would like to thank the one person who is the most wonderful, remarkable person in my life, my husband, Matt LaRussa.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SHANNA HOGAN is a journalist and N
ew York Times bestselling author of two previous true-crime books. She has written for numerous publications for nearly a decade and has received more than twenty awards for her feature writing and investigative reporting. Shanna was named Journalist of the Year by the Arizona Press Club in 2010 and again in 2011 by the Arizona Newspaper Association. She has appeared on The View, Dateline, 20/20, CNN, HLN, Fox News, Oprah Winfrey’s Oxygen, and Investigation Discovery. Shanna lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband, Matt LaRussa, and their three dogs. Visit her Web site at www.shannahogan.com. Or sign up for email updates here.
ALSO BY SHANNA HOGAN
Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story
Dancing with Death
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Author’s Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Afterword
Photographs
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Shanna Hogan
Copyright
THE STRANGER SHE LOVED. Copyright © 2015 by Shanna Hogan. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by James Iacobelli
Cover photographs: Martin MacNeill © Associated Press; couple © Blend Images / Alamy
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-05750-1 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-6808-3 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466868083
First Edition: April 2015