Award-Winning UMass Chef Charged in Wife's Killing at Campus Hotel

A 911 Call at Hotel UMass

Campus police at the University of Massachusetts Amherst received a 911 call at 7:42 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, reporting an emergency in Room 413 of Hotel UMass. When officers arrived, they found Emma MacDonald, 31, dead inside the room. Her husband, Jeffrey C. MacDonald, 36, was also present. According to a police report filed in Eastern Hampshire District Court, MacDonald struck objects at arriving officers and hit one UMass police officer in the face before being restrained and taken into custody.

Officers determined that Emma MacDonald’s injuries were consistent with a violent assault. According to the police report, Jeffrey MacDonald subsequently admitted to investigators that he had intentionally beaten his wife to death using his hands, feet, and a variety of blunt objects, and that it had been his intent to kill her. He was arraigned the following morning in Eastern Hampshire District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to one count of murder and one count of assault and battery on a police officer.

Who Jeffrey MacDonald Was on Campus

Jeffrey MacDonald worked as an executive sous chef for UMass Dining, one of the largest college dining programs in the country and a program that has repeatedly ranked first in the Princeton Review’s annual survey of best campus food. In August 2025, the university announced that MacDonald had been named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation. “Being honored as Chef of the Year by the ACF is an incredible milestone,” MacDonald said in the university’s announcement at the time. UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes confirmed Thursday that both MacDonald and Emma MacDonald were staff members at the school.

Emma MacDonald, whose maiden name was Pasterczyk, had worked in multiple roles at UMass since 2019, according to university payroll records. Her most recent position was as a dining hall supervisor. Before joining UMass, she had worked for seven years at Chmura’s Bakery Too in Palmer, Massachusetts, eventually becoming a partner in the business. The owners of the bakery described her in a statement as a dedicated and hardworking individual who always strived to do her best.

Prior Allegations and Court Action

Court records in Hampden Probate and Family Court show that prior allegations of abuse surfaced against Jeffrey MacDonald in September 2024, during custody proceedings involving two children he had with another woman. The mother of those children filed a complaint urging a judge to suspend MacDonald’s parenting time and grant her sole custody, citing reports from the children of verbal and physical abuse by their father. That complaint was later dismissed when the woman failed to appear at a scheduled hearing. A friend of Emma MacDonald’s told The Boston Globe that Emma had raised concerns over the years but may have minimized them to avoid worrying those close to her.

On the day of the killing, Jeffrey MacDonald had reportedly jumped into a pond on the UMass campus earlier in the afternoon - an incident captured on video that circulated on social media. Someone called 911 to report concerns about his behavior, and officers spoke with him before he checked in to Hotel UMass for the night, according to reporting by The Boston Globe. His wife had planned to remain at the couple’s home in Wilbraham.

Legal Status and Next Steps

Judge Rebecca Michaels ordered MacDonald held without bail following his arraignment. She also granted a defense request for a competency evaluation to determine whether MacDonald is fit to stand trial. His court-appointed attorney did not respond to requests for comment. A probable cause hearing has been scheduled for May 12. The Northwestern District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the case remains under active investigation by the UMass Amherst Police Department, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Northwestern DA, and the Massachusetts Crime Scene Services Section. Emma MacDonald has not been convicted of any crime; her husband has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

References: Umass Campus Center Hotel Murder Arrest | Umass Amherst Hotel Murder Arrest | Umass Amherst Woman Red Flags Allegedly Killed By Chef Husband