Michael McDaid, 60, has been sentenced to life in prison for the “cold-blooded” murder of his estranged wife, Rachel McDaid, 53. The killing took place at Rachel’s home in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, on 19 April.
McDaid, who had been separated from Rachel for four years after leaving their home to live on a narrowboat, admitted to strangling her with a bootlace. He coldly told their 23-year-old son, Owen, who arrived at the house shortly after the murder, “You can’t go in because I’ve killed her.”
In court, Owen described his father as a “coward” and expressed his deep shame, saying: “I am truly ashamed to have ever called you my dad. You have ruined every single childhood memory. I hope you can see the pain you have caused. You are no dad of mine. You are a monster.”
Rachel had filed for divorce after the breakdown of their relationship, and on the day of the murder, McDaid knew she would be alone. Prosecutor James Varley stated that McDaid used a garrotte made from a 6.6ft bootlace to strangle Rachel. There were no signs of a struggle, and McDaid locked the doors from the inside before leaving.
When Owen arrived at the house at around 11:00 a.m., he was told by McDaid, “I have killed her.” After climbing through an open window, Owen found his mother dead. McDaid later called 999 and admitted to the killing before returning to the scene, where he was arrested by police.
Rachel suffered severe injuries to her neck, forehead, chin, jaw, and wrist. Her youngest son, Isaac, tearfully addressed the court, devastated by the brutal loss of his mother, describing her as his “best friend” and expressing his heartbreak that he never got to say goodbye.
Despite McDaid’s attempts to portray Rachel as a narcissist and claim to be a victim, the court found no evidence to support his claims. He looked away from his sons as they delivered their victim impact statements.
McDaid was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 23 years and four months before being eligible for parole.