Meghan Macklin, 48, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to 21 ½ to 50 years in state prison for the October 2023 slaying of 72-year-old Richard Scott MacFarland at his Wrightstown Township home. 

The state prison sentence, handed down by Common Pleas Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr., follows Macklin’s February 24 guilty plea to third-degree murder, theft by unlawful taking, possession of an instrument of crime, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. She also pleaded no contest to abuse of a corpse. 

Bateman described the facts of the case as horrific. “The victim died a very violent death.”  

During the sentencing hearing, Deputy District Attorney Christine Sassane presented critical testimony detailing the senseless nature of the crime. 

A former cellmate of Macklin at the Bucks County Correctional Facility testified that Macklin admitted to killing MacFarland simply because he woke her up to ask for help finding his shoe. 

“All she wanted to do is sleep, but he wouldn’t let her sleep,” the cellmate testified, adding that Macklin stated she stabbed MacFarland, and continued stabbing him after he fell. Following the murder, Macklin grabbed items of value and fled in the victim's Mercedes with plans to escape to Mexico, the cellmate testified. 

Addressing Judge Bateman, Deputy DA Sassane emphasized the tragic betrayal of the victim's kindness, noting that MacFarland had offered Macklin a place to live, companionship, and everything she needed. 

“Her sleep was more precious, more important, than the victim’s life that day,” Sassane said. 

The investigation began on October 7, 2023, when Newtown Township Police discovered MacFarland deceased inside his home at 55 Apple Hill Road. Former Bucks County Chief Detective Greg Beidler testified about the evidence recovered from the scene and confirmed that the autopsy ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple stab and slash wounds. 

Investigators uncovered a disturbing scene, determining that MacFarland had been killed in a bedroom, his body subsequently moved, and that he had been cleaned and dressed after the murder. Detectives recovered a bloody rug, bloody bedding, and blood-stained clothing alongside items belonging to Macklin. The two were known to have a friendly but sometimes volatile relationship, and Macklin occasionally stayed at the residence. 

Following the murder, Macklin ransacked jewelry boxes, stole MacFarland’s checkbook, and fled the state. Later that same day, police in White Pine, Tennessee, located the victim's black 2013 Mercedes and took Macklin into custody. 

As part of the evidence presentation, Deputy DA Sassane played police bodycam footage from the Tennessee arrest. The footage captured Macklin attempting to evade arrest by identifying herself as Janet MacFarland, the victim’s deceased wife, and presenting the woman's Social Security card and a blank personal check as false proof of identity. 

Inside the stolen Mercedes, detectives recovered stolen jewelry, coins, deposit slips, and IDs belonging to both Macklin and the victim. Forensic testing later matched the victim’s DNA to a pair of Crocs found inside the vehicle, as well as to latex gloves discovered at the crime scene. 

“Today’s sentence brings a long overdue measure of justice for Richard Scott MacFarland and his family,” District Attorney Joe Khan said. “This state prison sentence is a direct result of the collaborative and thorough investigative work by the Bucks County Detectives, the Newtown Township Police Department, and our law enforcement partners in Tennessee.” 

The case was investigated by former Chief Detective Greg Beidler and Detective Tim Fuhrmann of the Bucks County Detectives, and Detective Frank Goodwin, Detective Joseph Camp, and Detective Nicholas Moffett of the Newtown Township Police Department. 

Vital assistance was provided by the White Pine Police Department in Tennessee. This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christine Sassane. 

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, mgamiz@buckscounty.org