Shivangi Sinha
On Christmas Day 2014, Tracy Nessl called the police in Belize, Central America, reporting that her husband, Tim McNamara, had been shot in the head. Initially, the police suspected suicide, but the nature of the wound suggested otherwise. The case was reclassified as a murder, prompting a full investigation. Investigation Discovery’s episode of ‘People Magazine Presents: Crimes Of The 2010s,’ titled ‘2014: The Deadliest Taboo,’ provides a detailed account of Tim’s life and whether he received the justice he deserved.
Tim McNamara’s Marriage With His Niece Made Him Leave the Country
Timothy “Tim” Patrick McNamara was born on December 10, 1948, to John Edward McNamara and Margaret Edith Ibbitson McNamara, a prominent family from Soap Lake, Washington. Growing up with his siblings, Tim enjoyed a privileged upbringing and inherited an apple orchard, which he managed throughout his life. Despite his caring nature and desire for a family, he had experienced three divorces by 2012. He was devoted to his two children, Jennifer and Caleb McNamara, whom he cherished deeply and provided for with the same dedication his family had shown him.
In 2012, Tim McNamara entered into a relationship with Tracy Shannon Nessl, who was his niece through his brother. Tracy noted that she hadn’t been close to the McNamara family and didn’t know Tim well as an uncle because her father, who had a different wife, had not maintained much contact with her mother after her birth. Despite this, Tracy and Tim felt a strong connection and soon began dating. Their relationship faced significant disapproval from the community and their family due to their familial ties. By 2013, this disapproval led the pair to leave and start anew.
It Took Time to Determine Whether Tim’s Death was a Suicide or Homicide
Tim and Tracy moved to Belize in Central America, where they started a Bed and Breakfast on a farm they purchased. The two even tied the knot and stepped into another phase of their relationship. About two years after they got together, things seemed to be working out for the duo, and their new life appeared to be progressing smoothly until Christmas 2014 came around. On December 25, 2014, Tracy called the police to report she had discovered Tim lying face-up on the ground with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. She claimed she did not know what to do and went over to their neighbor’s place to seek help.
Till the time the police arrived, she claimed that she spooned her husband and had a blanket over them to keep him warm. She told the authorities Tim had heard barking dogs and went outside with his handgun to investigate. According to her account, she heard a gunshot and found him dead when she went to check. The initial police theory was suicide, but by January 2015, the nature and location of the wound led them to rule the death as a homicide.
Tim’s Family Alleged His Killer Had Financial Motivations
A few days after Tim’s murder, Tracy Nessl claimed the investigating police officer had asked her for money, alleging that the officer said her husband owed her. The officer later denied these allegations, which could never be substantiated. On May 26, 2015, the Belize police issued an arrest warrant for Tracy, which was circulated through the International Criminal Police Organization. However, by then, Tracy had returned to Soap Lake, Washington, and had begun living on her husband’s farm.
In September 2015, Tim’s children filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Tracy. They alleged that shortly after Tim and Tracy began their relationship, he had transferred millions of dollars in cash, insurance, and real estate to her. By December 2013, when they married in Belize, Tim had allegedly transferred all of his estates to Tracy, including the apple orchard, their new B&B property, and paid off all her loans. Despite losing contact with their father after his relationship with Tracy began, his son Caleb claimed they had resumed email communication by December 2014.
Caleb alleged that his father had confided in him about financial difficulties and doubts regarding his decision to transfer all his assets to Tracy, especially after discovering her alleged affair. In response to the civil lawsuit and the claims made by the prosecuting party’s legal team, Tracy filed a defamation lawsuit, which was initially dismissed but later upheld on appeal. Tim’s family further claimed that Tracy purchased a Glock handgun from North Carolina, her home state, and had it shipped to Belize in October 2014. They alleged that Tracy killed Tim shortly before his insurance policy expired, seeking to gain financially from his death.
Tracy Nessl is Likely Tending to Tim’s Orchard Today
The civil lawsuit against Tracy Nessl, initially scheduled for 2020, was postponed to March 2022. At the trial, a grand jury found Tracy liable for Tim’s death and guilty of committing battery that proximately caused his death. She was ordered to pay $3.3 million in damages — $725,000 to each of Tim’s children, $1.8 million in additional damages and $77,000 as economic damages to the estate. Although Tracy was granted the right to appeal, she has not pursued this option, and no criminal charges have been initiated against her.
She remains in Soap Lake and has not been extradited as of writing despite the arrest warrant issued in Belize. Tracy has argued that Tim was suffering from mental health issues and questioned the forensic report that deemed his death a homicide. In a 2016 interview, she stated her commitment to maintaining the orchard as she had promised Tim. It is probably what Tracy Nessl continues to do to date.
