San Antonio, Texas – In a chilling case that has gripped the nation, Air Force Major Andre McDonald was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of his wife, Andreine. The jury, after deliberating for 10 hours, rejected the charge of murder, opting instead for the lesser charge.
The case unfolded in February 2019, when a heated argument between the couple, both originally from Jamaica, turned deadly. McDonald, taking the stand in his own defense, alleged that his wife had been stealing from him and had become physically aggressive during the confrontation.
According to McDonald, the altercation began after he discovered that Andreine had secretly registered a business behind his back, using documents he had entrusted to her.
“I realized it was right around the time she got the tattoo and stuff like that, so I know she was up to no good,” McDonald testified. “So I basically came and said, ‘Wait a minute, how the hell did you go ahead and register a business behind my back?'”
McDonald claimed that Andreine, instead of apologizing, became increasingly aggressive. Fearing a physical confrontation, he left the house and drove to a nearby gas station.
Upon returning home, the argument reignited, escalating into a physical fight. McDonald told the jury that Andreine had called him a derogatory term in Jamaican, a grave insult in their culture, and had spit in his face.
“At that point, it’s just like reflex, I grabbed her because she’s like right in front of me,” McDonald said. “So I grabbed her head, I think we had like a clash of heads, and I think it opened up like a cut somewhere on her face because she’s a bit, you know, taller than I am.”
The fight, according to McDonald, continued into the bathroom, where Andreine, upon seeing the cut on her face, became enraged and charged at him.
McDonald, describing the scene in a matter-of-fact tone, said he tripped Andreine, causing her to fall. He then admitted to kicking her twice while she was on the floor.
Hearing his daughter’s footsteps, McDonald said he briefly stopped the attack, taking his daughter back to bed before returning to Andreine, who was by then wheezing on the floor.
It was then, McDonald claimed, that he kicked her again. When she didn’t respond, he realized she wasn’t breathing.
What followed was a series of actions that demonstrated a chilling detachment. McDonald admitted to putting Andreine’s body in trash bags, attempting to burn her clothes, and ultimately dumping her body in a remote location.
He described these actions with a chilling lack of emotion, referring to the disposal of his wife’s body as a “hassle.”
The jury’s decision to convict on the lesser charge of manslaughter, rather than murder, suggests that they may have accepted some elements of McDonald’s self-defense claim, but ultimately found his actions after Andreine’s death to be indicative of guilt.
Judge Frank Castro, who presided over the trial, expressed his own disbelief at McDonald’s demeanor, noting his lack of remorse and his casual description of the events.
“You sat there and spoke about the mother of your child so nonchalantly and like you didn’t care,” Judge Castro remarked during sentencing. “I didn’t even see a tear in your eye.”
McDonald was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in prison for the manslaughter charge. He faces additional charges of tampering with evidence, which could add further time to his sentence.
Adding another layer of complexity to this already disturbing case, it has been revealed that McDonald’s father is currently awaiting trial in Jamaica for the deaths of his two wives. The shocking revelation raises questions about the environment in which McDonald was raised and the potential influence it may have had on his actions.
The case continues to draw attention nationwide, raising questions about domestic violence, cultural influences, and the complexities of legal defenses. As the legal proceedings continue, the nation watches and waits for answers in this unsettling case.
