A convicted child molester apparently killed himself right before he was to appear in Dauphin County Court to be sentenced to a state prison term for sexually abusing a 14-year-girl, a prosecutor said Thursday.
Kevin Marshall, 32, of Gratz, pleaded guilty to multiple sex crimes in February. He had a plea deal for a 3- to 7-year jail term and was scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Scott A. Evans on Wednesday morning.
When Marshall didn't show, and attempts by his lawyer, Public Defender Mary Klatt, to find him failed, Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean McCormack secured a bench warrant be issued for his arrest.
State police at Lykens never had a chance to serve that warrant. McCormack said as he contacted police to bring Marshall to court, the officers were notified that a passerby had found a body near Marshall's home. Indications are that Marshall fatally shot himself, McCormack said.
"The sad thing is this deprives the victim of her day in court," he said. The girl and her family were in Evans' courtroom Wednesday for Marshall's sentencing hearing.
Marshall was arrested by state police in 2014. McCormack said Marshall, then 31, groomed his victim, an acquaintance, for sex by plying her with drugs and alcohol.
Marshall pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a victim under 16, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and providing alcohol to minors.
The timing of Marshall's apparent suicide is unusual, McCormack said. This is the first time he said he can remember a sex offender killing himself right before a sentencing hearing in Dauphin County Court. ..Source.. by Matt Miller
No comments:
Post a Comment