Mackenzie Cowell
Teenage Murder Case
CLASSIFICATION: Murder
LOCATION
Wenatchee, Washington
TIME PERIOD
February 2010
VICTIMS
1 confirmed
Mackenzie Nicole Cowell, a 17-year-old student from Orondo, Washington, was reported missing on February 9, 2010, after last being seen leaving the Wenatchee Academy of Hair Design. Her body was discovered on February 13, 2010, along the banks of the Columbia River, with a post-mortem examination revealing she had been strangled, stabbed in the neck, and suffered blunt force trauma. Christopher Scott Wilson, a 29-year-old classmate from the beauty school, was implicated in her murder following DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene and reports of his fascination with death. Wilson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to over 14 years in prison but attempted to withdraw his plea, claiming he felt he would not receive a fair trial; he was released from Monroe Correctional Center on December 11, 2023.
Investigators and the public believe that Christopher Scott Wilson, a classmate of Mackenzie Cowell, was motivated by a fascination with death and serial killers, which contributed to his involvement in her murder. There is speculation regarding the fairness of Wilson's trial, as he later attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming he felt pressured into accepting the plea agreement. Additionally, some community members question whether there may have been others involved in the crime, given the brutal nature of Cowell's death.
The Tragic Tale of Mackenzie Cowell
The Disappearance
On February 9, 2010, in the seemingly tranquil town of Wenatchee, Washington, a bright and promising life was abruptly extinguished, leaving a community in shock and a family in mourning. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Nicole Cowell, a senior at Wenatchee High School and an aspiring cosmetologist at the Wenatchee Academy of Hair Design, vanished from the streets she knew so well.
Mackenzie, born on April 1, 1992, lived in Orondo, Washington, where she balanced her time between academics, modeling, and her passion for dance. That fateful afternoon, she was last seen on surveillance video walking out of the Academy of Hair Design. She told her classmates she'd be back within 15 minutes, a casual statement that would haunt those who heard it. At around the same time, she sent a simple text to her boyfriend, "Hey, what's up." It was the last known communication from her.
As the clock ticked past her 8 p.m. curfew, worry turned to panic for Mackenzie's family. Her father, trying desperately to reach her, found his calls going straight to voicemail. That night, a remote homeowner in Chelan County reported an abandoned car near his driveway—Mackenzie's car, located near Mission Ridge, roughly 40 miles from her Orondo home. Her purse and some clothes lay inside, yet her debit card and cell phone were missing. Only one set of footprints led away from the vehicle, deepening the mystery.
The Grim Discovery
A massive search ensued, with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office deploying a helicopter to scour the area and the FBI joining the effort. Four days after her disappearance, on February 13, Mackenzie's body was discovered by a passer-by on the banks of the Columbia River near Quincy, Washington. She was found fully clothed, her feet in the water, near a vacant house for sale.
The autopsy provided grim details: Mackenzie had been strangled and stabbed in the neck, her head bearing signs of blunt force trauma. Chillingly, it appeared the killer had attempted to sever one of her arms post-mortem. A knife was found lodged in her shoulder, but there was no evidence of sexual assault. The community mourned collectively at a memorial service held on February 25, attended by around 1,800 people at the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee.
The Investigation
The Mackenzie Cowell Task Force, a multi-agency team, spearheaded the investigation, combing through leads and conducting over 800 interviews. Initial suspicion fell on her boyfriend, Joaquin Villasano, and her mother's boyfriend, Joey Fisher. Villasano failed a polygraph, and Fisher had argued with Mackenzie the day before she vanished. However, both were eventually cleared.
A new lead emerged from Liz Reid, a college student and police informant, who implicated drug dealers Sam Cuevas and Emmanuel Cerros. Reid claimed they killed Mackenzie, mistaking her for an informant, and even described a snuff film of the crime. She handed police a ring she said belonged to Mackenzie, though her family did not recognize it. Reid later recanted her story about the film, and Cuevas and Cerros provided alibis and evidence proving their innocence.
The Arrest of Christopher Scott Wilson
Focus shifted to Christopher Scott Wilson, a 29-year-old classmate at the Academy of Hair Design. Tips and a letter described Wilson's morbid fascination with death and serial killers. Arrested on October 6, investigators found DNA linking him to duct tape near Mackenzie's body. Blood matching Mackenzie's was discovered in his apartment. Witnesses placed a man fitting Wilson’s description near the site where her car was found.
In December, Tessa M. Schuyleman, Wilson's friend, was arrested for obstruction of justice in an unrelated case. Photos on Wilson's computer showed Schuyleman posing as a dead person where Mackenzie's blood was found. Schuyleman claimed ignorance of the blood, saying Wilson directed the photoshoot.
The Trial and Aftermath
In April 2011, Wilson faced an upgraded charge of first-degree murder, suggesting premeditation. His defense, led by John Henry Browne, planned to argue Mackenzie's blood was planted. The court allowed the defense to present evidence against Cuevas and Cerros but barred certain elements of Wilson's past from discussion.
As the trial loomed, Wilson changed course, accepting a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, first-degree robbery for stealing Mackenzie's phone, and second-degree assault in an unrelated case. Sentenced to 14 years and 3 months, Wilson maintained his innocence, claiming the plea was out of fear of an unfair trial. His motion to withdraw the plea was denied, and after serving his time, Wilson was released on December 11, 2023.
The case of Mackenzie Cowell remains a haunting reminder of a life cut tragically short, leaving unanswered questions and a community forever altered.
Sources
For further reading, the original Wikipedia article can be found here.
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Mackenzie Cowell Disappears
Mackenzie Cowell, 17, goes missing after leaving beauty school.
Body Discovered
Mackenzie's body is found on the banks of the Columbia River.
Suspect Arrested
Christopher Scott Wilson is arrested on suspicion of murder.
Charges Upgraded
Wilson's charge is upgraded from second-degree to first-degree murder.
Wilson Pleads Guilty
Wilson pleads guilty to first-degree manslaughter and robbery.
Sentencing
Wilson is sentenced to 14 years and 3 months in prison.
Wilson Released
Christopher Scott Wilson is released from prison.
Mackenzie Nicole Cowell, a 17-year-old student from Orondo, Washington, was reported missing on February 9, 2010, after last being seen leaving the Wenatchee Academy of Hair Design. Her body was discovered on February 13, 2010, along the banks of the Columbia River, with a post-mortem examination revealing she had been strangled, stabbed in the neck, and suffered blunt force trauma. Christopher Scott Wilson, a 29-year-old classmate from the beauty school, was implicated in her murder following DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene and reports of his fascination with death. Wilson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to over 14 years in prison but attempted to withdraw his plea, claiming he felt he would not receive a fair trial; he was released from Monroe Correctional Center on December 11, 2023.
Investigators and the public believe that Christopher Scott Wilson, a classmate of Mackenzie Cowell, was motivated by a fascination with death and serial killers, which contributed to his involvement in her murder. There is speculation regarding the fairness of Wilson's trial, as he later attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming he felt pressured into accepting the plea agreement. Additionally, some community members question whether there may have been others involved in the crime, given the brutal nature of Cowell's death.
The Tragic Tale of Mackenzie Cowell
The Disappearance
On February 9, 2010, in the seemingly tranquil town of Wenatchee, Washington, a bright and promising life was abruptly extinguished, leaving a community in shock and a family in mourning. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Nicole Cowell, a senior at Wenatchee High School and an aspiring cosmetologist at the Wenatchee Academy of Hair Design, vanished from the streets she knew so well.
Mackenzie, born on April 1, 1992, lived in Orondo, Washington, where she balanced her time between academics, modeling, and her passion for dance. That fateful afternoon, she was last seen on surveillance video walking out of the Academy of Hair Design. She told her classmates she'd be back within 15 minutes, a casual statement that would haunt those who heard it. At around the same time, she sent a simple text to her boyfriend, "Hey, what's up." It was the last known communication from her.
As the clock ticked past her 8 p.m. curfew, worry turned to panic for Mackenzie's family. Her father, trying desperately to reach her, found his calls going straight to voicemail. That night, a remote homeowner in Chelan County reported an abandoned car near his driveway—Mackenzie's car, located near Mission Ridge, roughly 40 miles from her Orondo home. Her purse and some clothes lay inside, yet her debit card and cell phone were missing. Only one set of footprints led away from the vehicle, deepening the mystery.
The Grim Discovery
A massive search ensued, with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office deploying a helicopter to scour the area and the FBI joining the effort. Four days after her disappearance, on February 13, Mackenzie's body was discovered by a passer-by on the banks of the Columbia River near Quincy, Washington. She was found fully clothed, her feet in the water, near a vacant house for sale.
The autopsy provided grim details: Mackenzie had been strangled and stabbed in the neck, her head bearing signs of blunt force trauma. Chillingly, it appeared the killer had attempted to sever one of her arms post-mortem. A knife was found lodged in her shoulder, but there was no evidence of sexual assault. The community mourned collectively at a memorial service held on February 25, attended by around 1,800 people at the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee.
The Investigation
The Mackenzie Cowell Task Force, a multi-agency team, spearheaded the investigation, combing through leads and conducting over 800 interviews. Initial suspicion fell on her boyfriend, Joaquin Villasano, and her mother's boyfriend, Joey Fisher. Villasano failed a polygraph, and Fisher had argued with Mackenzie the day before she vanished. However, both were eventually cleared.
A new lead emerged from Liz Reid, a college student and police informant, who implicated drug dealers Sam Cuevas and Emmanuel Cerros. Reid claimed they killed Mackenzie, mistaking her for an informant, and even described a snuff film of the crime. She handed police a ring she said belonged to Mackenzie, though her family did not recognize it. Reid later recanted her story about the film, and Cuevas and Cerros provided alibis and evidence proving their innocence.
The Arrest of Christopher Scott Wilson
Focus shifted to Christopher Scott Wilson, a 29-year-old classmate at the Academy of Hair Design. Tips and a letter described Wilson's morbid fascination with death and serial killers. Arrested on October 6, investigators found DNA linking him to duct tape near Mackenzie's body. Blood matching Mackenzie's was discovered in his apartment. Witnesses placed a man fitting Wilson’s description near the site where her car was found.
In December, Tessa M. Schuyleman, Wilson's friend, was arrested for obstruction of justice in an unrelated case. Photos on Wilson's computer showed Schuyleman posing as a dead person where Mackenzie's blood was found. Schuyleman claimed ignorance of the blood, saying Wilson directed the photoshoot.
The Trial and Aftermath
In April 2011, Wilson faced an upgraded charge of first-degree murder, suggesting premeditation. His defense, led by John Henry Browne, planned to argue Mackenzie's blood was planted. The court allowed the defense to present evidence against Cuevas and Cerros but barred certain elements of Wilson's past from discussion.
As the trial loomed, Wilson changed course, accepting a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, first-degree robbery for stealing Mackenzie's phone, and second-degree assault in an unrelated case. Sentenced to 14 years and 3 months, Wilson maintained his innocence, claiming the plea was out of fear of an unfair trial. His motion to withdraw the plea was denied, and after serving his time, Wilson was released on December 11, 2023.
The case of Mackenzie Cowell remains a haunting reminder of a life cut tragically short, leaving unanswered questions and a community forever altered.
Sources
For further reading, the original Wikipedia article can be found here.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Mackenzie Cowell Disappears
Mackenzie Cowell, 17, goes missing after leaving beauty school.
Body Discovered
Mackenzie's body is found on the banks of the Columbia River.
Suspect Arrested
Christopher Scott Wilson is arrested on suspicion of murder.
Charges Upgraded
Wilson's charge is upgraded from second-degree to first-degree murder.
Wilson Pleads Guilty
Wilson pleads guilty to first-degree manslaughter and robbery.
Sentencing
Wilson is sentenced to 14 years and 3 months in prison.
Wilson Released
Christopher Scott Wilson is released from prison.