Irene Macinoy (Carrie Snodgress, 1945—2004) is the main villainess in the Murder, She Wrote episode "Love And Hate In Cabot Cove" (S10E08). Irene was the editor of the Cabot Cove Gazette and the psychotic mother of Chad Macinoy.
Irene was extremely close to her son, Chad; she always wanted to make him happy. However, Chad tried to distance himself from his mother and resented her caring nature. Whenever Chad reminds himself that he was a drunk or failed in high school or fired from his job in Philadelphia or rejected by his former lover Candice Bennett, Irene insisted that he was perfect; almost ignoring that the truth of his son ever existed.
Irene was aware of his son's relationship with Candice and wanted to reunite them. However, Candice was no longer interested with Chad, she was in love with Sheriff Metzger's deputy Ethan Loomis. Irene had planned to eliminate Chad's love rival in order to fulfill her dreams of Chad marrying Candice.
Irene devised her plan by making threatening letters to the sheriff to make it look like someone hated the sheriff so much to kill him. Irene overheard through the police radio when Sheriff Metzger had Deputy Loomis put on duty in his car, giving Irene an opportunity to kill him. While Loomis was driving the sheriff's car, Irene took a shot at him, resulting to his death. Irene had masked her intention in killing Loomis by making it look like someone had mistaken Loomis for the sheriff.
However, when Chad was confronted by Jessica and Sheriff Metzger, Irene's own love for her son led her to confess in killing Loomis. Irene began to have a psychotic break down in her ambition for Chad and Candice's relationship. Irene was eventually placed under arrest for Loomis' murder.
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- This was Carrie Snodgress' second portrayal as a villainess in Murder, She Wrote. She played as the evil Connie Vernon in season two of the series.