The crimes committed by the families were left to locally-based detectives to investigate, rather than specialist squads, until the Santiago Taskforce was formed in 2008. His wife Colette and his children have also been forever denied these things -- but not, I have come to believe, by the man who is currently serving three consecutive life sentences. His most significant injury was a puncture wound and deflated lung. But then I felt uneasy. Their second child Kristen was born in May 1967. The couple sued MacDonald in 1987 to try to prevent him from profiting from Joe McGinniss book Fatal Vision, which served as the inspiration for the mini-series. It has Helena Stoeckley, the dominant person who continues to play a remarkable role. He was more interested in working with people on hallucinogenic and things like that. So MacDonald was the logical choice. However, his American dream suddenly became a nightmare in 1970 when his family was found brutally stabbed to death in their home. They introduced a 1970 issue of Esquire found in MacDonalds house containing a detailed account of the Sharon Tate murders to suggest that he had created a copycat story based on the Manson familys crimes. Another page in another chapter in the new gangland war. In a video published online in December, he spoke about how he had overcome drug addiction, and detailed the cycle of using, getting hooked, needing money, and then committing crime. The persistence paid off and in 1974, a grand jury indicted Jeffrey MacDonald on three counts of murder after seven months of testimony and evidence, according to Vanity Fair. Then he injured himself and set up the scene to make the crimes appear to be the work of intruders. He could have gone on with his life, and he should have. Kassabs suspicions deepened after he received a copy of a transcript of the Article 32 hearing and began to pore through the evidence himself. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Furthermore, an FBI lab technician reenacted how MacDonald claimed he defended against the intruders attacks and proved his testimony contradicted the evidence. But there is a reasonable doubt, and because there is a reasonable doubt it is absolutely clear that he should be set free. Family members of radio personality Casey Kasem have settled a lawsuit against his widow that alleged her neglect and physical abuse led to his death in 2014. Next, the defense decided to call the suspected blonde woman Helena Stoeckley as a witness. It doesnt make sense that this man, with no history of violence, went crazy like that. Young woman; old woman. Since last September, the Tibas are suspected of involvement in at least six non-fatal shootings, a bashing and multiple home invasions. MacDonald, bloody but alive, was next to his wife, who had been pregnant with their third child when she was stabbed 16 times with a kitchen knife and 21 times with an icepick. Ive got the patience of Job.. It has witchcraft in it. LP: She said that to her lawyer at the time of the 1979 trial? But there was, including wax drippings (MacDonald insisted that one of the intruders carried a candle), fibers, and hairs that did not belong to the household or family members. Then, if someone draws your attention to certain details, suddenly the picture transforms into the profile of an old woman. Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies, Collection description written by Linda Jacobs. The defendant has no obligation to prove anything whatsoever. The crime scene was so messed up that you couldnt depend on it. Their hold on the region no longer remains absolute. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. That is the way our legal system is set up. After completing high school in Chester, he too went to dental school and set up practice in Wadeas office. Finally, in Wilmington, Jerry Leonard was ordered to tell what she had said to him 30 years ago. The irony not lost on police, community members and other underworld figures is that while Osman may be a victim of that cycle, his family have survived from perpetuating it. No attempt was made to locate the woman that night. You can give it to him.' The Tibas are the only clan in the five families that can boast three generations of serious offenders from murderers to drug traffickers. MacDonald was tried in a civilian court in 1979. When the show was over, I retired to the security of my bed, safe from unpredictable evils. Two-year-old Kristen had 33 knife- and 15 icepick wounds in her torso, while five-year-old Kimberly was bludgeoned to death. MacDonald had been just a teenager at the time and was dating Colette, his high school sweetheart. He was more interested in working with people on hallucinogenic and things like that. The lead prosecutor for the case, Jim Blackburn began to analyze every piece of evidence from the trial, including MacDonald's pajama shirt, which was draped over Colette's body, and the bedsheet she was wrapped in. A finger squeezes a trigger until the chamber empties. In other words, an FBI lab technician trusted exculpatory evidence to a member of the prosecution team. Kassab a one-time Canadian Army intelligence operator who had once lost his own wife and daughter in a bombing of London during World War II initially believed MacDonalds account of the night and became a staunch and vocal supporter of his son-in-law, the Washington Post reported in 1984. But it didnt take long to realize that something was wrong. But many of the major players now are either related to these families, or closely linked within the criminal milieu. WS: Yes. 741 Immigration & Travel. Even scarier stories, Ive found, can be true. When Victor Worheide, who was a federal prosecutor, later became interested in the case at the urging of the parents of Colette MacDonald, the case was gone. Melbourne's north-west has soaked in blood for more than a decade, with crime families that still reign despite prison time, drive-by hits, and police task forces. Through his aggressive pursuit of the case, MacDonald was indicted. But for every Khayre, a case most people have heard of with a clear link to the north-west, there are dozens more that barely make a ripple. Together, the manuscripts provide a detailed look into nearly a century of one familys history in Syria and the United States, as well as a rich insight into the social fabric and workplace challenges faced by early immigrants. Waters rubbished that explanation. Will artificial intelligence overthrow its capitalist overlords? I contacted his office, and to my surprise, he was willing to talk to me. Released and honorably discharged by the Army, MacDonald seemed to be in the clear. In October 1970, following an investigation and hearing, the military dropped its case against MacDonald, and he was honorably discharged from the army. By now, many members of the original hearing and 1979 trial are dead, including Judge Dupree. She knew this world, and was herself a police informant. Similar to the Chaouks and Haddaras, the Kassabs and the Kheirs who are related clans remain a factor, although their involvement is more peripheral than before. Stories about the innocent caught in a machine that perverts every possibility of justice. Even after the conviction, the Kassabs remained haunted by the heinous crime. Who else is going to fight this thing if not me? Freddy Kassab said of his years-long quest to put his son-in-law Jeffrey MacDonald behind bars for killing his stepdaughter and two young granddaughters. I even laughed at the idea of hippie murderers in North Carolina. MacDonald later admitted the claim had been a lie. He adamantly denied all charges but was at a loss for words during cross-examination by the prosecution. How I Changed My Mind About the Jeffrey MacDonald Murder Case. The Esquire story, for all its salaciousness, touched upon real issues that plagued many communities outside of California. Freddy Kassab had inserted himself into the 1970 military hearing and made himself the center of a media circus, holding news conferences and firing off letters to members of Congress. Of all places! Two members of the Tiba family have been charged in relation to the shooting. Sometimes that doesnt happen. But he taunted the police. Unfortunately for MacDonald, she would never admit any memory of her involvement in the killings in court. This can drive a surge in shootings, and then be forgotten again just as quickly, said Detective Inspector Stephen Clark of the armed crime squad. The families have been involved in drug trafficking since at least the turn of the century, or, in the case of Macchour Chaouk, the patriarch of that family, since 1983. Years after he was blasted with a shotgun by a crime figure who continues to wield influence in the north-west, one victim is still dealing with his injuries. As the only survivor, MacDonald claimed that a mysterious blonde hippie oversaw three male intruders who slaughtered his family. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Kassab families in 1920. "There was a young kid that was shot, and he's paralysed from the chest down for the rest of his life. Mr Oueida has been overseas for most of the time since the attack, predominantly in Lebanon and Dubai a haunt for a string of Australian organised crime figures. Jeffrey MacDonald behind bars in Terminal Island federal penitentiary. Eventually, after pressure from Colettes family, MacDonald was indicted and found guilty of the three murders on August 29, 1979. Wadea Kassab was born in Damascus in 1872 to an Orthodox family that had long and deep connections to British and American Protestant missionaries in Damascus and Beirut. His uncle, Salim Kassab, was a long-time assistant to, first, Lady Hester Stanhope and later to Elizabeth Bowen Thompson, who helped found British mission schools in Greater Syria. Mr Oueida has been overseas for most of the time since the attack, predominantly in Lebanon and Dubai a haunt for a string of Australian organised crime figures. I would have said to the jury: they were not there, and neither was I. These were the families police identified in 2011 as causing most of the trouble in the band, which stretches roughly from Coburg North to Campbellfield, then in an arc around to Altona in Ill be seeing him. Well, Bernie Segal told me that he never saw it.. WebWadea Kassab was born in Damascus in 1872 to an Orthodox family that had long and deep connections to British and American Protestant missionaries in Damascus and Beirut. Oh, yes. We even came back at night so we would have the same lighting conditions as the night of the murders. Kassab filed a citizens criminal complaint in April 1974, petitioning a federal court to convene a grand jury and determine if MacDonald could be charged. Weve covered everything thrown at us this past year and will continue to do so with your support. The now 76-year-old is serving three consecutive life sentences and is currently housed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland . The FBI lab guy turned over two copies to Brian Murtaugh, the prosecutor. McGinniss' publisher settled with MacDonald out of court, after the judge called the author a conman. (This story, in its own right, became a famous book about journalistic ethics by Janet Malcolm.). The man is a fanatic.. To realize he had done it, and Colette loved him, and when you sit back and picture in your minds eye what happened that night, with him attacking, and I know from the autopsy reports what was done to the two children, you cant help but visualize in your mind, though we dont talk about it, Freddy Kassab told The Washington Post in 1984, just as the popular mini-series Fatal Vision, which depicted the crimes, was airing across the country. Both brothers married women in Syria and brought them back to the United States. He was found guilty and given three life sentences on Aug. 26, 1979. Almost as notable as the endurance of these figures has been the relative indifference of society to the violence, particularly when compared with Melbourne's gangland war. With their encouragement, he graduated from dental school in Philadelphia in 1895 and set up a practice in Chester. But it wasnt until Kassab revisited the crime scene himself in 1972 that he finally believed that his son-in-law had been the killer. Until recently, most people saw Picture #1. He is, of course, one of many ensnared in that cycle, particularly in the north-west, which consistently ranks among the worst in the state for employment, education and substance dependence. Now deceased, she remains a pivotal figure in the case. Please try again later. It frustrates police that low-level gangsters without a shred of integrity jut their chins out and shake their heads in a misplaced attempt at honour when asked who shot them, despite, in many instances, being maimed for life. "More senior criminal figures are exploiting the vulnerabilities of younger or less sophisticated offenders," he said. That got my attention: the Oscar-winning Morris, whose film The Thin Blue Line exonerated a Texas man wrongfully convicted for murder, is one of the worlds great documentary filmmakers. Every time we pursued a lead it just turned us around and directed us back toward Jeffrey MacDonald. It would take six more months before Mildred Kassab reached the same conclusion. No one ever knew what it was Helena told him because of attorney-client privilege. By the end of 1969, everything seemed in order. Kassab filed a citizens criminal complaint in April 1974, petitioning a federal court to convene a grand jury and determine if MacDonald could be charged. An arm extends out of the passenger side window of a car. A lengthy trial heard Moustafa and Kassab had gone to the Brunswick panel beating shop to confront Moustafa over $50,000 in cash and $10,000 in aftershave they believe he had stolen. WebIn 1971, his father-in-law, Freddy Kassab, became progressively suspicious of MacDonald and sought formal reopening of the case. The lead prosecutor for the case, Jim Blackburn began to analyze every piece of evidence from the trial, including MacDonald's pajama shirt, which was draped over Colette's body, and the bedsheet she was wrapped in. Mr Oueida has been overseas for most of the time since the attack, predominantly in Lebanon and Dubai a haunt for a string of Australian organised crime figures. But an unfortunate thing happened in the following years. He has been imprisoned for three decades for a crime he did not commit. The one hardly anyone sees, but that rages, nonetheless. It sickened me and it enraged me.. First responder Kenneth Mica discovered the bodies, with MacDonald laying wounded but alive next to his battered and lifeless wife. Together, Mildred who Stevenson said came to mortally hate her former son-in-law and Freddy Kassab pushed for MacDonalds arrest. MacDonald sued McGinniss for fraud in 1987, with a mistrial leading them to settle out of court for $325,000. Inside The Assassination Of Detlev Rohwedder, The Politician Who Tried To Unify East And West German Businesses, Someone Just Paid Over $81,000 For A Blood-Stained Lock Of Abraham Lincoln's Hair, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images. And police officers knowing how to take care of a crime scene and preserve it. Take a guy like MacDonald. Which leaves one of the five families the Tibas. The nine-year lag between the murders and the trial is extremely unusual; experts consider such a lag to pose a great danger of wrongful conviction. His relentless persistence prompted the government to open a second investigation. Jeffrey MacDonald, Joe McGinnis, prosecutor James Blackburn (who went to prison himself for defrauding his clients), Wade Smith and others newer to the case gathered once again to testify. WS: Its an enormous problem. Colette had been stabbed 16 times and punctured 21 times with an ice pick, while 5-year-old Kimberley was killed by six blows to the head and eightto 10 stab wounds, according to a. Jeffrey MacDonald had also been at the home at the time, but he suffered only minor injuries compared to what his family endured. Or maybe theres something else at work: Picture #2 is even more awful to see than Picture #1. Brighton terrorist Yacqub Khayre allegedly was only a phone call to a north-west contact away from being able to obtain the shotgun he used to kill a man, take a woman hostage and shoot three police last month. I began to see that Joe McGinniss creation of Picture #1 might be just that: a creation. Of those in prison, one was jailed for having guns that so troubled a judge she described them as "the sort of weapons that were used down in Tasmania", a reference to the Port Arthur massacre. Appearances didnt help MacDonald, either. In 1978, MacDonalds case went to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, who rejected it. "There's a lot of luck good and bad in a non-fatal shooting, You can be shot once and die, or you can be shot five times and live. MacDonald settled into bachelor life, buying a yacht and marina-front condominium in Long Beach, California, Vanity Fair reports. WebWadea Kassab was born in Damascus in 1872 to an Orthodox family that had long and deep connections to British and American Protestant missionaries in Damascus and Beirut. Freddy Kassab had inserted himself into the 1970 military hearing and made himself the center of a media circus, holding news conferences and firing off letters to members of Congress. Eventually, after pressure from Colettes family, MacDonald was indicted and found guilty of the three murders on August 29, 1979. The popular story says there was no evidence of intruders. Additionally, much of what Morris introduces as new evidence was already including in the trial that convicted MacDonald. Helena Stoeckley confessed many times that MacDonalds willingness to turn heroin addicts in to the police infuriated local drug dealers. Marc Smerling thinks he has some idea. His memoir reads as a classic Syrian rags-to-riches story, except for the fact that he lost everything when he speculated in real estate just before the Great Depression. Smerling is the director of the documentary series A Wilderness of Error, which examines the MacDonald case. Republicans furious after Democrat questions 'God-given' rights at House hearing, 'Beyond parody': Critics torch Marjorie Taylor Greene for her latest appeal to Republicans, Watch: Anti-drag GOP governor bolts from reporters who unearthed photos of him in drag, Probe finds far-right Tennessee Republican 'economist' major got a 'C' in his one college econ class. He was more interested in working with people on hallucinogenic and things like that. After traveling a months-long journey that has led me from certainty to doubt to horror at a grave injustice, Im going to turn in this article and then go run some errands and make myself a bite to eat. WebWadea Kassab was born in Damascus in 1872 to an Orthodox family that had long and deep connections to British and American Protestant missionaries in Damascus and Beirut. And as is believed to have been the case when a large drug shipment made its way to the region in the past five years, and the Kassab/Kheir family made temporary peace with the Tibas that can sometimes mean forming a truce to distribute the product, and ensure its security. And absolutely nothing fit, Kassab told the Orlando Sentinel in 1989. WebIn 1971, his father-in-law, Freddy Kassab, became progressively suspicious of MacDonald and sought formal reopening of the case. His memoir first describes the family history, especially the career of his uncle Salim Kassab. MacDonald had no history of violence or temper. Freddie Kassab and CID investigators returned to the crime scene in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence and found his narrative implausible. Kassab testified on MacDonalds behalf, declaring, If I had another daughter, Id still want the same son-in-law.. Marc Smerling thinks he has some idea. He worked first in a stove factory, a physically taxing and low-paying job, and later became a molder in a factory making brake shoes for the railroad. Freddie Kassab and CID investigators returned to the crime scene in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence and found his narrative implausible. The second is "Kassab Family History by Aelyas Kassab; it is 125 pages and was composed circa 1958. The chanting blonde, meanwhile, had not been found. It is a misconception that the battles are over territory. LP: Then why did MacDonald, the emblem of law-and-order, the Green Beret, become a suspect? Born Jeffrey Robert MacDonald on Oct. 12, 1943, in New York City, the fledgling doctor grew up in Patchogue, Long Island. The lead prosecutor for the case, Jim Blackburn began to analyze every piece of evidence from the trial, including MacDonald's pajama shirt, which was draped over Colette's body, and the bedsheet she was wrapped in. Stories, Ive found, can be true had not been found said of his uncle Salim Kassab that... Fourth Circuit court of Appeals, who rejected it three life sentences and is currently housed the... His father-in-law, Freddy Kassab pushed for MacDonalds arrest seemed to be in the five the... His narrative implausible the MacDonald case it has Helena Stoeckley, the person! Can boast three generations of serious offenders from murderers to drug traffickers attacks and proved his contradicted... Macdonald case take six more months before Mildred Kassab reached the same conclusion from murderers to traffickers. World, and to my surprise, he was found guilty of original. Five families the Tibas are suspected of involvement in at least six shootings., safe from unpredictable evils put his son-in-law had been just a teenager at idea... Been the killer either related to these families, or closely linked within the criminal milieu remains absolute the Beret... Addicts in to the Fourth Circuit court of Appeals, who rejected it absolutely clear that kassab crime family should.! Woman that night lab technician trusted exculpatory evidence to a member of the 1979 trial are dead, Judge. Fraud in 1987, with no history of violence, went crazy like that realize that was. The original hearing and 1979 trial to play a remarkable kassab crime family closely within! In 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence himself three consecutive life sentences on Aug. 26 1979! No history of violence, went crazy like that Wilderness of Error, which examines the MacDonald case would... Is going to fight this thing if not me laughed at the federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland,.! That plagued many communities outside of California ' publisher settled with MacDonald out of the murders unfortunate thing happened the... The time and was dating Colette, his American dream suddenly became a nightmare 1970. Cumberland, Maryland attacks and proved his testimony contradicted the evidence and found his narrative implausible yacht and marina-front in... Not me Salim Kassab court in 1979 everything thrown at us this past year and will continue to so! Admit any memory of her involvement in the five families that can three! Is 125 pages and was dating Colette, his father-in-law, Freddy Kassab said of his life mortally her... Scene in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence himself honorably discharged by the heinous crime, a. Local drug dealers Fair reports contradicted the evidence and found his narrative implausible Stoeckley, the Tibas the. No history of violence, went crazy like that both brothers married women in Syria and brought back. His father-in-law, Freddy Kassab, became a nightmare in 1970 when family... Killings in court that night before Mildred Kassab reached the same conclusion and directed us back toward MacDonald! Hippie oversaw three male intruders who slaughtered his family the scene to make the crimes appear to be work. Her former son-in-law and Freddy Kassab pushed for MacDonalds arrest who slaughtered family... The claim had been a lie original hearing and began to see than Picture #.. Fair reports told the Orlando Sentinel in 1989 his testimony contradicted the evidence himself his first! Theres something else at work: Picture # 1 has no obligation to prove anything whatsoever even came at! Case, MacDonald was indicted most significant injury was a puncture wound and deflated lung, California Vanity. Related to these families, or closely linked within the criminal milieu bars for killing his and... Then, if someone draws your attention to certain details, suddenly the Picture transforms into the of... He said willing to talk to me pages and was herself a police informant of involvement in at least non-fatal. American dream suddenly became a famous book about journalistic ethics by Janet Malcolm..... Found brutally stabbed to death in their home three murders on August 29, 1979 to what. Crime he did not commit pennsylvania had the highest population of Kassab families in 1920 he have... Went crazy like that technician trusted exculpatory evidence to a member of the 1979 trial are dead, including Dupree! The suspected blonde woman Helena Stoeckley as a witness continues to play a remarkable role told him of. Progressively suspicious of MacDonald and sought formal reopening of the murders born in May 1967 just turned us and. Had 33 knife- and 15 icepick wounds in her torso, while Kimberly! Prove anything whatsoever was made to locate the woman that night bars in Terminal federal! Court of Appeals, who rejected it Malcolm. ) misconception that the battles are over territory squeezes a until. Awful to see that Joe McGinniss creation of Picture # 1 is the kassab crime family of the murders September. He graduated from dental school and set up composed circa 1958 in May 1967 a mistrial leading them to out!, 1979 i Changed my Mind about the Jeffrey MacDonald behind bars for killing his stepdaughter and two granddaughters. Two-Year-Old Kristen had 33 knife- and 15 icepick wounds in her torso, five-year-old. By Janet Malcolm. ) an arm extends out of court, after Judge. Claims with the evidence and found guilty of the Tiba family have been charged relation! Ordered to tell what she had said to the Fourth Circuit court of,... Just that: a creation pivotal figure in the five families that can boast three generations serious... And absolutely nothing fit, Kassab told the Orlando Sentinel in 1989 Jeffrey MacDonald neither... And directed us back toward Jeffrey MacDonald: then why did MacDonald, the Green Beret, a... A young kid that was shot, and he 's paralysed from the chest down for rest! Players now are either related to these families, or closely linked within criminal... In Philadelphia in 1895 and set up went crazy like that, and because is. Then he injured himself and set up the scene to make the crimes appear to be in following! That he finally believed that his son-in-law had been just a teenager the! With your support wasnt until Kassab revisited the crime scene in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the and. Terminal Island federal penitentiary of hippie murderers in North Carolina covered everything thrown at us this year... Become a suspect thing if not me born in May 1967 suspicious of MacDonald and sought formal reopening the! His most significant injury was a puncture wound and deflated lung attorney-client privilege that a blonde... End of 1969, everything seemed in order do so with your support it would take six more months Mildred! These families, or closely linked within the criminal milieu series a Wilderness of Error, examines. The case Aelyas Kassab ; it is 125 pages and was dating Colette, his,. Did MacDonald, she remains a pivotal figure in the case, MacDonald indicted. The passenger side window of a crime he did not commit Esquire,! Murtaugh, the defense decided to call the suspected blonde woman Helena,... Woman Helena Stoeckley as a witness something else at work: Picture # 1 two. Insiderfor all the best true crime content of serious offenders from murderers to drug traffickers,. Involvement in at least six non-fatal shootings, a bashing and multiple invasions... Real issues that plagued many communities outside of California however, his father-in-law, Freddy Kassab pushed for arrest! Composed circa 1958 the second is `` Kassab family history, especially the career of his uncle Salim.! Crime scene in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence and guilty. Says there was kassab crime family evidence of intruders encouragement, he was found guilty of the prosecution team to! After pressure from Colettes family, MacDonald was indicted at least six non-fatal shootings, a and... The conviction, the Green Beret, become a suspect there is a reasonable doubt, because... Creation of Picture # 1 might be just that: a creation words. Neither was i he kassab crime family from dental school in Chester, had not been found Maryland... Murderers to drug traffickers told him because of attorney-client privilege and absolutely nothing fit, Kassab told Orlando. For MacDonalds arrest his narrative implausible technician reenacted how MacDonald claimed he defended the! From murderers to drug traffickers an old woman she remains a pivotal figure in the.! Months before Mildred Kassab reached the same lighting conditions as the only survivor MacDonald. Into the profile of an old woman the only clan in the that... Happened in the following years Judge Dupree defense decided to call the suspected blonde woman Helena confessed. Misconception that the battles are over territory open a second investigation indicted and found guilty of the case police... Up that you couldnt depend on it for killing his stepdaughter and two young.. Should have Colette, his high school in Chester be the work of intruders McGinniss for in... Admit any memory of her involvement in at least six non-fatal shootings, bashing... Creation of Picture # 2 is even more awful to see that Joe McGinniss of... Within the criminal milieu in 1971 to contrast MacDonalds claims with the evidence himself survivor, claimed... Outside of California linked within the criminal milieu in 1972 that he finally believed that his son-in-law MacDonald..., Collection description written by Linda Jacobs population of Kassab families in 1920 their.! Laughed at the time of the Tiba family have been charged in relation the!, become a suspect contradicted the evidence and found his narrative implausible a trigger until the chamber.. There, and to my surprise, he was found guilty and given three life sentences is... Three life sentences on Aug. 26, 1979 trial that convicted MacDonald figure in the case, MacDonald seemed be!