Cedric Marks, a veteran of over 50 professional fights, has seen his trial for capital murder set for April 4, 2022 (per Temple Daily Telegram). Marks, who is accused of killing Jenna Scott and Michael Swearingin, is to be tried in Bell County, Texas. If found guilty of these killings he faces a possible death sentence.
Marks was arrested in Michigan in early 2019 under suspicion of breaking into Scott’s home in Temple, TX and interfering with a 911 call. Scott, who had dated Marks, had previously tried to get a protective order against Marks and claimed that the fighter had choked her unconscious and threatened to kill her and her family. That protective order was denied.
While Marks was in custody Scott’s body was discovered, alongside her friend Swearingin, in a shallow grave near Clearview, OK.
Marks was then transported back to Texas to face questioning over the deaths of Scott and Swearingin. While in transit, Marks escaped the prison transport vehicle and lead authorities on a nine hour search before he was discovered hiding in a garbage can.
Marks was then charged with two counts of homicide.
Cedric Marks’ girlfriend was also arrested
Arrested alongside Cedric Marks was his girlfriend Maya Maxwell. Maxwell, who has given birth to a child fathered by Marks in prison, is also charged with murder. She has told detectives that she aided Marks in hiding a vehicle belonging to Swearingin. She has also told detectives that she witnessed Marks enter rooms containing Scott and Swearingin while they were alive and that they were deceased after he left those rooms.
Marks will be representing himself at trial, as he did during hearings involving Scott’s attempted protective order.
Marks has also been charged with the murder of April Pease, who went missing in Minnesota in 2009. Pease went missing shortly after a custody battle with Marks.
Support for survivors of domestic violence can be found from the following organizations:
USA – The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Canada – DAWN-RAFH Canada
UK and Ireland – Women’s Aid: 0808-2000-247
Rest of the World – HotPeachPages
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