The final text messages exchanged between Lindsay Clancy and her husband, Patrick Clancy, were presented in court Thursday as her murder trial continued in Massachusetts.
The messages showed an apparently ordinary conversation about dinner and their infant son shortly before prosecutors say Clancy killed her three children at their home in Duxbury on January 24, 2023.
What Did Lindsay Clancy Text Her Husband?
At around 4:53 p.m., Clancy asked Patrick whether he wanted takeaway from a nearby restaurant.
“Any chance you want to do take out from ThreeV?” she wrote, adding that she had not cooked because it had been a long day.
Patrick agreed and asked what she wanted to order. The couple also briefly discussed their 8-month-old son, Callan, with Clancy saying he had taken only a short nap.
At 5:07 p.m., Clancy sent her food choice: a Mediterranean power bowl. Patrick responded that he would order scallops and pork belly risotto.
The exchange was later examined during testimony from Massachusetts State Police Trooper Timothy Chiappini, who analysed Clancy’s cellphone.
Where Was Patrick Clancy?
Patrick had left the family home to run errands, including a stop at CVS to pick up medication for one of his daughters. He then collected the couple’s dinner before returning home shortly after 6 p.m.
According to testimony, he found Cora, 5, and Dawson, 3, unresponsive inside the house. Their younger brother, Callan, was also critically injured.
Clancy was found outside after apparently jumping from a second-floor window. Prosecutors say she had also inflicted injuries on herself.
What Is Clancy’s Defence?
Clancy’s defence team is seeking an acquittal on grounds of insanity. Her lawyer, Kevin Reddington, argues that she was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was experiencing voices that instructed her to harm her children.
Prosecutors dispute that account and allege that Clancy deliberately planned the killings, arguing that she wanted to escape the pressures and responsibilities of motherhood.
The text messages were introduced as the trial entered its third week. The jury is expected to return to court on Monday.