UMass Amherst chef accused of fatally beating wife at campus hotel

MacDonald, of Wilbraham, pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder, and assault and battery on a police officer.

Judge Rebecca Michaels ordered him held without bail and slated a probable cause hearing for May 12. She granted a request by MacDonald’s court-appointed lawyer, Jonah Goldsmith, to order an evaluation of MacDonald’s competency to stand trial. Goldsmith did not respond to a request for comment.

At 7:42 p.m. on Wednesday, campus police received a 911 call reporting an emergency taking place inside Room 413 at the hotel, according to the report.

When campus and Hadley police officers arrived, they were met by MacDonald and “a violent struggle took place” between them, the report said. MacDonald allegedly threw objects at the officers and repeatedly struck one officer in the face.

Officers discovered Emma MacDonald dead in the hotel room, the report said.

“Given the significant nature of the female’s injuries, it seemed apparent to investigators that her injuries had resulted from a violent assault,” the report said.

MacDonald was arrested and admitted he had deliberately killed her, according to the report.

Allegations that MacDonald was physically and verbally abusive surfaced 19 months ago during custody proceedings involving two children he had with another woman, according to filings in Hampden Probate and Family Court.

The mother of the children, now 9 and 11, urged a judge on Sept. 20, 2024, to suspend MacDonald’s time with them and grant her sole custody, writing that the children had been consistently asking not to go to his house over the past year.

“Children have been reporting verbal abuse from their father (yelling, being called names, swearing), witnessing demeaning verbal abuse between father & stepmother, and yesterday reported physical abuse,” the woman wrote. She said her oldest child said his father “shoved him with full force into a table” four days earlier and previously hit him in the face on multiple occasions.

“Both children reported that their father told them not to report abuse to the mother and both are fearful of retaliation and further abuse,” she wrote.

A judge denied the woman’s request to revoke MacDonald’s shared custody without notifying him of the allegations and giving him a chance to respond. The complaint was dismissed after the woman failed to appear at a hearing.

On Thursday, the woman declined to comment on the allegations against MacDonald or the murder charge during a brief phone conversation, noting that he is the father of her children.

The murder charge comes nine months after MacDonald was named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation.

“This distinguished honor is a testament to MacDonald’s talent, leadership, and commitment to advancing the culinary profession,” the university said at the time. “MacDonald’s achievements continue to elevate the national profile of the UMass Dining program, which is widely recognized for innovation, sustainability, and culinary excellence.”

At UMass Amherst, students said news of the slaying was unsettling. Lena Nowak, a biology student, said she shivered as she walked past the Hotel UMass sign.

“I feel pretty safe here still, but it is a little concerning that it happened right there,” Nowak said.

Marc Pothier, a biochemistry and molecular biology student, said he was shocked by the killing but said he still feels relatively safe on campus.

“It’s horrible,” he said. “But you can’t judge a community based on it.”

In a message to the campus community Thursday before the identity of the victim and suspect were released, the university’s chancellor, Javier Reyes, said the victim was a staff member at the university.

“There is no ongoing threat to our campus or the community,” he said.

“I want to acknowledge that this is heartbreaking and deeply unsettling news for our campus,” Reyes wrote. “Our thoughts are with those affected, including the families, friends, and colleagues of the individuals involved.”

Globe Correspondent Alexandra Hill contributed to this report.

Shelley Murphy can be reached at shelley.murphy@globe.com. Follow her @shelleymurph.