Chronology

1943 thru 1972
Important Events in the Life of Jeffrey MacDonald

October 12, 1943Jeffrey MacDonald is born in Jamaica, New York
1961-1964He attends Princeton University. His father, Robert (“Mac”) passes away.
September 14, 1963Jeff and Colette MacDonald are married
April 18, 1964Daughter Kimberley Kathryn MacDonald is born
1964-68Jeff attends Northwestern University
1968He graduates as Doctor of Medicine
May 8, 1967Daughter Kristen Jean is born
1968-69Jeff completes medical residency at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
July 1, 1969He enters the US Army as a Captain in the Medical Corps
September, 1969Having volunteered for Special Forces duty, Jeff is assigned as group surgeon at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
February 17, 1970Colette, Kimberley, and Kristen are murdered in the family apartment.
February 21, 1970Funeral services are held for Colette and the girls.  Jeff is permitted to leave the hospital to attend the mass.
February 25, 1970Jeff is released from the hospital.
April 6, 1970Jeff is informed he is the prime suspect in the murders, and submits to a full day of questioning by Army investigators.
May 1, 1970Jeff’s father-in-law, Alfred Kassab, submits a statement to the press criticizing the Army’s handling of the case.  The Army formally charges Jeff of murdering his family.
July 5, 1970Colonel Warren V. Rock, the presiding officer, opens the Article 32 hearing, the precursor of a court martial, to hear evidence against Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald.
October 13, 1970Colonel Rock completes his 90 page report, recommending that all charges against Jeffrey MacDonald be dropped because they are “not true.”
December, 1970Jeff receives an honorable discharge.  He relocates to New York.
December 15, 1970Now a civilian, and at the urging of his father-in-law, Jeff appears on the Dick Cavett Show and castigates the CID for its handling of the case.
1971Army begins further (illegal) investigation of former Capt. MacDonald.
July, 1971Jeff moves to Long Beach, California, accepting a job as an ER physician at St. Mary Medical Center.
October 30, 1971Alfred Kassab demonstrates his change of heart toward his son-in-law by calling CID investigator Peter Kearns to tell him of a phone conversation (Nov 1970) with Jeff during which Jeff claimed to have killed one of the intruders.
November 1, 1971Alfred writes an irate letter to Jeff, complaining that he hadn’t visited on a recent trip East.
January 17, 1972CID Agent William Ward submits a report on the lengthy and ongoing surveillance of Jeffrey MacDonald.
February 18, 1972Army Captain Brian Murtagh, a new lawyer in the CID, joins Peter Kearns in his attempt to bring civilian charges against Jeff MacDonald.

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