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A Shut and Open Case: A Double Murderer Mounts a Comeback in Davis, California
A double murder case closed – then opened again
On April 14, 2013, in Davis, California, police find two elderly murder victims, slashed and mutilated in a manner that showed “exceptional depravity.” The murderer left no clues but could not resist bragging about what he had done.
“I’m a kid,” he says on June 17, 2013, when police confront him about the crime. The teen plays dumb then confesses to the murders, which “felt great,” and gave him “pure happiness.”
Marsh is arrested and tried as an adult. His attorneys attempt to have his marathon confession tossed. When that fails, he changes his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
As the trial reveals, Daniel Marsh admired serial killers and already tried to kill others. He hated all people, especially the elderly. A friend testifies that Marsh “liked to torture” and the autopsies reveal that he did.
The jury rejects the insanity defense and in December 2014 Marsh draws a sentence of 52 years to life. His appeal fails but in 2016 the convicted murderer catches a break.
A new law forbids prosecutors to try juveniles as adults and an appeal court applies it retroactively. With no new exculpatory evidence, and no sign of remorse, the appeal court reverses the murder conviction of Daniel Marsh.
If judged suitable for juvenile court, Marsh will be released at the age of 25. For the victims’ relatives, the nightmare returns. In a May 16, 2018 internet video, Marsh describes himself as “a loyal and kind-hearted individual,” who “always means well.”
One day before the October 1, 2018 hearing, the governor signs a new law barring all prosecutions of juveniles as adults, whatever the gravity of their crime. Marsh’s attorneys want this law applied to Marsh, who now claims he is “not who I used to be.”
A psychiatrist Marsh once threatened to kill testifies that the convicted murder has shown “significant growth” and is capable of holding a job. Prosecutors call him a psychopath, incapable of reform.
Will the court send convicted murderer Daniel Marsh back to prison to serve out his sentence?
Or will Daniel Marsh be released at age 25, just four years down the road?
Would the peaceful people of Davis, California, again stand in danger? The victims’ families wanted to know.
A Shut and Open Case tells the story.
On April 14, 2013, in Davis, California, police find two elderly murder victims, slashed and mutilated in a manner that showed “exceptional depravity.” The murderer left no clues but could not resist bragging about what he had done.
“I’m a kid,” he says on June 17, 2013, when police confront him about the crime. The teen plays dumb then confesses to the murders, which “felt great,” and gave him “pure happiness.”
Marsh is arrested and tried as an adult. His attorneys attempt to have his marathon confession tossed. When that fails, he changes his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
As the trial reveals, Daniel Marsh admired serial killers and already tried to kill others. He hated all people, especially the elderly. A friend testifies that Marsh “liked to torture” and the autopsies reveal that he did.
The jury rejects the insanity defense and in December 2014 Marsh draws a sentence of 52 years to life. His appeal fails but in 2016 the convicted murderer catches a break.
A new law forbids prosecutors to try juveniles as adults and an appeal court applies it retroactively. With no new exculpatory evidence, and no sign of remorse, the appeal court reverses the murder conviction of Daniel Marsh.
If judged suitable for juvenile court, Marsh will be released at the age of 25. For the victims’ relatives, the nightmare returns. In a May 16, 2018 internet video, Marsh describes himself as “a loyal and kind-hearted individual,” who “always means well.”
One day before the October 1, 2018 hearing, the governor signs a new law barring all prosecutions of juveniles as adults, whatever the gravity of their crime. Marsh’s attorneys want this law applied to Marsh, who now claims he is “not who I used to be.”
A psychiatrist Marsh once threatened to kill testifies that the convicted murder has shown “significant growth” and is capable of holding a job. Prosecutors call him a psychopath, incapable of reform.
Will the court send convicted murderer Daniel Marsh back to prison to serve out his sentence?
Or will Daniel Marsh be released at age 25, just four years down the road?
Would the peaceful people of Davis, California, again stand in danger? The victims’ families wanted to know.
A Shut and Open Case tells the story.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2019
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