What happened to Annamarie Cochrane Rintala? Details explored ahead of Dateline on NBC
Annamarie Cochrane Rintala, a 37-year-old paramedic, was found dead on the basement stairs of her home in Granby, Massachusetts, in 2010. Annamarie's spouse, Cara Rintala, reported finding her paint-stained body.
Annamarie Cochrane Rintala and Cara Rintala were a legally married lesbian couple. The two women were married to each other and were raising an adopted daughter, Brianna. Their relationship was long-standing, but over time, differences and tensions between them grew.
The case was also in the news because it was the first case in Massachusetts in which a woman was accused of murdering her legally married wife.
Dateline episode titled Down the Basement Stairs sheds light on this murder case. The episode aired on May 10, 2025, on the NBC channel and is now available to stream on Peacock.
All about Annamarie Cochrane Rintala's murder explored
According to Boston Magazine, on March 29, 2010, Cara Rintala left her home with her two-year-old daughter, Brianna. She was seen in several places, including McDonald's, where a piece of clothing stained with Annamarie's blood was recovered from a trash can.
Cara returned around 7 p.m. and claimed to have found Annamarie Cochrane Rintala's body on the basement stairs, covered in white paint. She handed the baby to a neighbor and asked him to call 911. When emergency crews arrived, Cara and the surrounding area were also covered in paint.
The autopsy report revealed that Annamarie had died from strangulation and had severe head injuries. Investigations revealed that the paint had been applied recently, as it was still pink (which turns white when it dries). In addition, some items previously seen in Cara's truck were missing upon her return, further fueling suspicion.
As per WWLP, Cara and Annamarie Cochrane Rintala's relationship was already strained, and she had been booked for domestic violence. Both had restraining orders against each other. Based on this family background, behavior, and evidence, the police suspected murder. In October 2011, a grand jury ordered the arrest of Cara Rintala, charging her with first-degree murder.
All about the court proceedings and punishment in Annamarie Cochrane Rintala's case explored
Cara Rintala was tried twice, in 2013 and 2014, but both times the jury could not conclude. During the third trial in 2016, the prosecution presented the statement of a paint expert, who said that the paint was applied after the murder. On this basis, Rintala was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, as per WWLP.
As reported by AP News, in 2021, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overturned this decision. The court found that the testimony of the paint expert was not scientifically sufficient and could have affected the trial's outcome. For this reason, a new trial was ordered.
The fourth trial began in September 2023, in which the statement of the paint expert given last time was not included. This time, the emphasis was on the time of death and circumstantial evidence.
On October 5, 2023, Rintala was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 12 to 14 years in prison, including 7.5 years already served. Her plea for a reduction in sentence was rejected in June 2024.
The episode features interviews with investigating officers, legal experts, and people involved in the case. The show presented the evidence, the court proceedings, and the emotional impact of Annamarie's murder.
Viewers can find out more details about this case in Dateline's episode, Down the Basement Stairs, which is now available on Peacock.
