No Update on Double Homicide in Almost 8 Months

Two Andover residents were murdered in their Orchard Crossing mansion nearly 8 months ago. However, authorities have not been able to provide an update on the incident since originally providing facts on the day the bodies were discovered.

Authorities are still claiming to have no suspects the chilling incident that left local developer John Magee and his wife Geraldine dead. The couple's daughter found them shot in a room on the first floor of their sprawling mansion in south Andover.

The Essex County District Attorney spokesman said that investigators are releasing little about the case.

"The murder is still under investigation," said Essex County District Attorney Spokesman Carrie Kimball-Monahan.

Those close to the investigation have reported that there was no forced entry into the house and the scene was cleaned up by whomever committed the vicious act.

The couple's black Lexus was also found burnt on Prince Street in the North End of Boston the night before the bodies were discovered.

John "Jack" Magee owned an Arlington-based development company and built housing around Boston and the Greater Boston area, including the Andover development he and his wife lived in, Orchard Crossing.

Andover Patch reported recently that Andover Police reimbursed a detective for a trip to , where the Magee's owned a summer home.

Homicide Stats

Here are some homicide statistics from a US Department of Justice Report, Homicide Trends in the United States, 1980-2008.

While homicides have the highest rate of clearance, or the solving of the crime, among violent cimes, total cleared homicides have dropped significantly in the country since 1980. In 1980, a total of 72 percent of homicides were solved. That statistic has dropped to 64 percent in 2008.

The percentages of homicides solved goes down with older victims. Roughly 89 percent of all homicides of chlidren 5 and under are solved. That percentage drops to 63.5 percent for homicide victims at age 20 and stabilizes for most ages after that.