[CW: The following story discusses multiple incidents of alleged domestic violence]
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Veteran MMA fighter Cedric Marks has finally had a date set for his double capital murder trial. According to KCENTV the trial will begin on April 17 with jury selection occurring on April 10.
The trial date comes after months of legal wrangling between prosecutors in Bell County, TX and Marks (who is representing himself). The most recent delay was due to Marks’ request that each potential juror be submitted to individual questioning.
The case against Cedric Marks
Marks is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend Jenna Scott and her friend Michael Swearingin, both of Temple, TX, in 2019 and burying their bodies near Clearview, OK on land owned by his family.
Scott died after she was denied a protective order from Judge Paul LePak, despite Scott testifying that Marks had threatened to kill her and her family. In that case Scott also accused Marks of repeatedly choking her until she was unconscious. Scott also said that Marks had bragged about being able to cover up a murder.
Marks was arrested in Michigan in connection to Scott and Swearingin’s deaths. During transport to Texas, Marks escaped law enforcement and lead them on a nine hour manhunt before being discovered in a trash can.
Marks was arrested in Michigan alongside his girlfriend Maya Maxwell, who has since given birth to Marks’ child while in prison. Maxwell reportedly told investigators that she hid Swearingin’s vehicle and had witnessed Marks entering rooms that held Scott and Swearingin while the pair were alive and that both victims were deceased when Marks left those rooms.
Cedric Marks is accused of a separate murder
Since being charged with two counts of capital murder, which carry the possibility of the death penalty, Marks has also been charged in the murder of April Pease. Pease disappeared from a shelter in Bloomington, MN in 2009, shortly after a contentious child custody battle with Marks.
Kellee Sorenson, another former partner of Marks, has reportedly told authorities she helped Marks locate Pease and that Marks had admitted to killing her. Sorenson has been charged with second-degree murder and is awaiting trial.
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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