Tracy Nessl McNamara is wanted in Belize on suspicion of murdering her husband, Timothy Patrick McNamara, on Christmas Day in 2014. The children of Timothy McNamara are suing Tracy Nessl for wrongful death, alleging that she murdered the 66-year-old after defrauding him of money and property.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Name | Tracy Shannon Nessl, also known as Tracy McNamara or Channon Nessi |
Age | 44 |
Wanted for | Murder of Timothy Patrick McNamara |
Victim's relationship to Nessl | Lover, uncle, husband |
Victim's age | 66 |
Date of crime | Christmas Day |
Year of crime | 2014 |
Weapon | 9mm handgun |
Victim's cause of death | Gunshot wound to the head |
Arrest warrant issued | 26 May 2015 |
Arrest warrant issuer | Belize |
Arrest warrant posted on | Interpol |
Extradition | Unclear if Belize will request extradition |
What You'll Learn
- Tracy Nessl is wanted by Belize for the murder of her husband, Tim McNamara
- Nessl was McNamara's niece and their marriage was voided by Belize authorities
- McNamara was found dead on Christmas Day in 2014 with a gunshot wound to the head
- Nessl was never extradited to Belize and continues to live on the McNamara family farm
- McNamara's children sued Nessl for civil murder and were awarded $3.3 million in damages
Tracy Nessl is wanted by Belize for the murder of her husband, Tim McNamara
Nessl, who was 22 years younger than McNamara and his niece, is suspected of killing him for financial gain. Before his death, McNamara had signed over properties and life insurance policies to Nessl. The couple had moved to Belize to start a new life, away from the scrutiny of their incestuous relationship. They bought a farm in Belize, intending to build a bed and breakfast. However, they faced financial struggles and their relationship reportedly soured.
On the day of McNamara's death, he and Nessl were working on their property. Nessl claims that McNamara went outside with his gun to check on the dogs, and moments later, she heard a gunshot. She says she found him lying on the ground with a bullet wound and drove to a neighbour for help. However, authorities suspect foul play. They found that the bullet entered from the rear, and blood spatter analysis indicated that Nessl was close by when the shot was fired.
In May 2015, Belize issued an arrest warrant for Nessl, and the case was posted on Interpol. Nessl returned to the US and has denied any involvement in McNamara's death. McNamara's children have filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Nessl, seeking to reclaim their father's assets.
Belize's Biggest City
You may want to see also
Nessl was McNamara's niece and their marriage was voided by Belize authorities
Tracy Nessl McNamara is wanted in Belize on suspicion of murdering her husband, Timothy Patrick McNamara. Nessl was McNamara's niece, and their marriage was voided by Belize authorities when they learned of their biological relationship. Despite this, the couple had been in a romantic relationship since 2012. McNamara was 22 years older than Nessl and was going through his third divorce when they met.
Nessl and McNamara fled to Belize to escape the scrutiny of their small town and bought a farm there to set up a bed and breakfast. They got married, but their new life couldn't erase their past demons. The couple began to struggle financially, and McNamara stopped communicating with his children.
On Christmas Day in 2014, McNamara was found dead on the porch of their farm from a gunshot wound to the back of the head. The death was initially ruled a suicide, but it was later changed to murder. Nessl claimed that she was in the kitchen when McNamara went out to ward off wild animals with his firearm. She said she heard a gunshot and found him lying on the ground with a bullet wound.
Belize authorities issued a warrant for Nessl's arrest, believing that the bullet trajectory and blood spatter analysis indicated that she was "in close proximity" when the shot was fired. Nessl has never been extradited to Belize and continues to live in Soap Lake, Washington. She denies any involvement in McNamara's death and is fighting extradition.
The Belize Blue: A Natural Wonder
You may want to see also
McNamara was found dead on Christmas Day in 2014 with a gunshot wound to the head
On Christmas Day in 2014, Timothy Patrick McNamara was found dead on the veranda of his home in Belize with a gunshot wound to the head. Known as Tim, the 66-year-old had been living in Belize with his wife, Tracy Nessl, who was also his niece.
The couple had moved to the country in early 2013 to start a bed and breakfast on a farm. McNamara was a well-known and affluent member of the Soap Lake, Washington community, where he had taken care of an apple orchard.
On the night of his death, McNamara went out to the backyard with his handgun to check why the dogs were barking. Moments later, Nessl claimed she heard a shot and found her husband lying on the ground face-up with a bullet wound to the back of his head. She went to a neighbour for help, and the authorities were called.
Initially ruled a suicide, McNamara's death was later deemed a murder. While the 9mm handgun used in the shooting belonged to Nessl, she was not immediately arrested. Instead, she was interviewed by local police and then left the country.
In May 2015, a warrant for Nessl's arrest was issued by Belizean authorities. At the time, she had returned to the US and the farm in Soap Lake.
McNamara's children filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Nessl in September 2015, alleging that she had financially exploited their father and then shot him in the head. They also claimed that she had manipulated him into a relationship to gain control of his money and property.
Belize's Top Travel Destinations
You may want to see also
Nessl was never extradited to Belize and continues to live on the McNamara family farm
Tracy Nessl McNamara, also known as Tracy Shannon Nessl, Channon Nessi, and Tracy McNamara, was never extradited to Belize and continues to live on the McNamara family farm in Soap Lake, Washington.
Nessl, now in her 50s, was the niece and lover of Timothy Patrick "Tim" McNamara, a 66-year-old Soap Lake orchardist. In 2012, McNamara deeded four parcels of land, totalling 98 acres, to Nessl, including the McNamara family farm where he had raised his children. The pair then moved to Belize, where they intended to build a bed and breakfast on a farm in Boston Village.
On Christmas Day in 2014, McNamara was found dead on their property in Belize with a gunshot wound to the head. Nessl claimed that he had gone outside with his gun to check on the dogs, and that she found him lying on the ground with a bullet wound after hearing a shot. Initially ruled a suicide, McNamara's death was later deemed a murder by local investigators, who cited blood spatter on Nessl's blouse, the trajectory of the bullet, and a lack of gunpowder on McNamara's hands as evidence.
Belize authorities issued an Interpol arrest warrant for Nessl in May 2015, but she had already returned to the United States. Despite the extradition treaty between the United States and Belize, Nessl was never extradited and continues to live on the McNamara family farm.
In September 2015, McNamara's children, Caleb McNamara and Jennifer Ralston, filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Nessl, alleging that she had "seduced, manipulated, and deceived" their father for financial gain. In March 2022, a jury found Nessl civilly liable for McNamara's death and ordered her to pay $3.3 million in damages to his children.
While Nessl has not faced criminal charges for McNamara's murder and remains a free woman, she has been held accountable through the civil lawsuit and is required to return the assets she acquired to McNamara's family.
The Real Cost of Paradise: Is San Pedro, Belize, Expensive?
You may want to see also
McNamara's children sued Nessl for civil murder and were awarded $3.3 million in damages
On 25 March 2022, a jury found Tracy Nessl civilly liable for the murder of her husband, Tim McNamara, awarding $3.3 million in damages to McNamara's children. Nessl was McNamara's niece, 25 years his junior.
The couple began their relationship in 2012, and McNamara soon began bestowing lavish gifts upon Nessl, including paying off all her bills, giving her $30,000, and putting her on all his accounts. He also named her as the sole beneficiary in his will and life insurance policies. In 2013, McNamara purchased 50 acres of land in Belize, deeding the property in both their names. The couple moved to Belize to build a bed and breakfast, and got married there in the same year.
However, by 2014, their relationship had soured. McNamara discovered that Nessl had had an affair, and he began to distrust her. In October 2014, Nessl purchased a 9mm pistol in North Carolina and had it shipped to Belize. On Christmas Day 2014, McNamara was found dead on their property in Belize with a single gunshot wound to the back of his head.
Nessl claimed that McNamara's death was a suicide, but local investigators ruled it a murder, citing blood splatters on Nessl's blouse, the trajectory of the bullet, and a lack of gunpowder on McNamara's hands as evidence. After the murder, Nessl returned to the US, and has lived on the McNamara family farm in Soap Lake, Washington, ever since.
Belize police issued an Interpol warrant for Nessl's arrest, but they were unable to pursue the matter as it required the US to allow for extradition, and the FBI had no jurisdiction. This led McNamara's children, Caleb McNamara and Jennifer Ralston, to file a civil murder suit in Washington in 2015. They claimed that Nessl had "seduced, murdered, and deceived" their father for financial gain.
The civil trial began on 7 March 2022 and concluded on 25 March. The jury found that Nessl had committed battery against McNamara, which proximately caused his death. They awarded $77,000 in economic damages to McNamara's estate, $1.8 million in personal damages, and $725,000 in damages to each of McNamara's children as his beneficiaries.
Iguana or 'Bamboo Chicken' in Belize
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Belize has issued a warrant for Tracy Nessl McNamara's arrest on suspicion of murdering her husband, Tim McNamara.
Tim McNamara was found dead on Christmas Day in 2014 with a gunshot wound to the head.
Tracy Nessl was the niece of Tim McNamara, as well as his wife.
After Tim McNamara's death, Tracy Nessl returned to the US and was sued by McNamara's children, who alleged that she had manipulated and financially exploited their father.