US EditionUMass Chef Accused in Wife’s Killing Once Won Campus Culinary Award
Police say Jeffrey MacDonald confessed to beating his wife to death and was held without bail pending a May 12 hearing.
- UMass Amherst chef Jeffrey MacDonald, 36, was held without bail Thursday after pleading not guilty to murder and assault on a police officer, following his arrest Wednesday at Hotel UMass.
- Police responding to a 911 call at room 413 on Wednesday encountered a violent struggle; they found Emma MacDonald deceased and MacDonald later confessed to intentionally beating his wife to death.
- Both MacDonald and his wife were UMass employees, with MacDonald previously recognized as Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation for his outstanding culinary skill and leadership excellence.
- UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes stated there is no ongoing threat to the community, while students called the domestic incident "heartbreaking" and hoped the university would honor the deceased woman.
- The Northwestern District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the homicide, with MacDonald scheduled for another hearing on May 12 to determine next steps in the case.
33 Articles
33 Articles
UMass Amherst victim raised ‘red flags’ about chef husband before slaying, friend says - The Boston Globe
Emma MacDonald was an accomplished baker who operated a bakery in Palmer before taking a job at UMass, where she worked in dining services and met her husband.
Jeffrey MacDonald was named "Chef of the Year." Now the 36-year-old has been charged with murdering his wife, writes the Boston Globe.
Chef held without bail after wife's murder on UMass campus
AMHERST, Mass. (Court TV) — A Massachusetts chef is being held without bail on charges he brutally beat his wife to death inside a hotel on the campus of UMass Amherst. Jeffrey MacDonald appeared at his arraignment on April 23, 2026 (Douglas Hook/The Republican) Jeffrey MacDonald, 36, is charged with murder and assault and battery on a police officer after an incident on Wednesday night. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Thursday mornin…
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