MARCUS WESSON

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On March 12, 2004 a horrible tragedy befell Fresno, California that would become one of the worst murders in history. A father by the name of Marcus Wesson pictured above in his arrest record) killed nine of his children in what was said to be a custody battle gone horribly wrong.

Police were called to the scene of 761 W. Hammond Ave on March 12, 2004 for a child custody dispute. When officers were dispatched to the scene, Two victims ran from the house claiming the suspect Marcus Wesson had a gun. From this a two hour standoff ensued. Police were told the did not have reasonable cause to enter the home, so they waited. Marcus Wesson came to the
door and police try to persuade him to come out of the house but instead he darted back to a bedroom in the home only to come out a while later covered in blood, and surrender. Police entered to find a gruesome discovery, nine bodies all believed to be the children of Marcus Wesson were discovered in the back bedroom of the house entangled in clothes. The bodies were so entangled at first they had a hard time telling how many victims there actually were. All the victims died of gunshot wounds to the head. There was speculation that all the victims were shot in the right but currently the police will not comment on if this is true or not. They also removed 12 coffins from the residence, but it was found that he bought the coffins 5 years earlier and had
planned to make furniture out of them. Seems kinda strange to us...........

Here is a time line of the events that took place:
2:13 p.m. -- Police receive call about child custody dispute from two women outside Wesson's home.

2:23 p.m. -- First officer is dispatched.

2:35 p.m. -- Several officers respond to scene, interview women and decide they have no legal authority to enter home at the moment.

2:50 p.m. -- Wesson is in doorway and officers are talking to him, asking him to come out of the house. During this time, officers are seeking guidance from Fresno city attorney on whether they have legal right to enter the home. They are told they do not have cause.

3:03 p.m. -- Officers call Child Protective Services for a consultation.

3:35 p.m. -- Wesson darts from the doorway into the back bedroom. Within minutes, two more women run from the home and tell officers Wesson is armed with a handgun. More officers are now on the scene and negotiators are trying to make contact with Wesson by yelling. He did not respond.

3:47 p.m. -- Officers request SWAT team.

4:45 p.m. -- SWAT team begins to take up positions around the home.

4:47 p.m. -- Wesson emerges covered in blood and surrenders. Officers enter home to find the bodies.

Source: Fresno Police Department

The nine victims ranged in age from a 25-year-old to three 1-year-olds. If they were being abused or neglected, no one knew and no one reported it to authorities. Gary Zomalt, from Children and Family Services, says they checked their records, "We searched from 1998, all the way up, and found no referrals from that address, Marcus Wesson, or nything like that." Fresno school officials are also checking to see if they have any records concerning the children's schooling. If the children were being home schooled, Wesson should have notified the district. He would also have to get a permit from the state. Later investigation of the case showed that Marcus Wesson led a sick incestuous life, fathering two of his children with his own daughters all victims in the tragic homicide. The police revealed they are looking into whether the killings were some part of ritual murders and are considering cult involvement. Marcus Wesson's family has maintained that he is not part of a cult. That in fact, he is a 7th Day Adventist. Action News has learned that three of the women in Wesson's life were one time members of this 7th Day Adventist Church on Olive Avenue. They had not been to church in years. The Victims names were released.

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LIST OF VICTIMS:

1. Sebhrenah April Wesson, 25.
2. Elizabeth Breani Kina Wesson, 17.
3. Illabelle Carrie Wesson, 8.
4. Aviv Dominique Wesson, 7.
5. Jonathan St. Charles Wesson, 7.
6. Ethan St. Laurent Wesson, 4.
7. Sedona Vadra Wesson, 1-1/2.
8. Marshey St. Christopher Wesson, 1-1/2.
9. Jeva St. Vladensvspry Wesson, 1.

[Sher]

FRESNO, Calif. - Marcus Wesson, the domineering patriarch of a large clan he bred through incest, was convicted Friday of murdering nine of his children, whose bodies were found in a bloody pile last year at the end of a police standoff.

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Wesson, 58, could get the death penalty.

The jury took more than two weeks to find Wesson guilty on nine counts of first-degree murder. He was also convicted on all 14 counts of raping and molesting seven of his underage daughters and nieces.

The defense had argued that Sebhrenah Wesson, 25 — the oldest to die — killed herself as well as her siblings and the 1-year-old son she had with her father.

Prosecutors said Marcus Wesson was the triggerman, but they also argued that even if Sebhrenah did the shooting, her father should still be found guilty if he encouraged her to kill.

The jurors accepted the prosecution's second theory: They found Wesson guilty even though they decided the government did not prove he pulled the trigger.

Several witnesses had testified that Wesson had repeatedly coached the children to be ready to kill each other and themselves if authorities ever threatened to break up the clan.

Many of Wesson's surviving family members still support him and stifled sobs as a clerk read the verdicts. Wesson remained quiet and still.

After the verdict, the home's front yard stood barren behind green-and-black tape — a stark contrast to the mounds of teddy bears, statuettes and flowers left immediately after the murders.

Neighbors said they were glad to see Wesson held responsible.

"He was in that house when shots were fired. He's still living, all of them are dead," said Linda Morales, who lives across the street. "If he didn't pull that trigger, he certainly didn't do anything to prevent it."

The jury will return on Wednesday for the penalty phase.

Calls to defense attorneys were not immediately answered. The Fresno County District Attorney's office issued a brief statement saying prosecutors would seek the death penalty.

The slayings were the worst murder case ever seen in this agricultural town in the heart of California's Central Valley.

Officers were summoned to Wesson's rundown home on March 12, 2004, after two Wesson nieces who had escaped from the home went back to try to get their children.

Wesson talked with officers at the front door, then stepped backward and disappeared into the back bedroom as the nieces screamed, begging officers to intervene and save their children. About an hour and 20 minutes later, he emerged, blood on his clothing, and turned himself in.

In the bedroom was a bloody pile of corpses, each shot through the eye. Officers pulled out the bodies of Sebhrenah Wesson and the eight others, ranging in age from 1 to 17. The nieces' children were among the dead.

No fingerprints or gunshot residue indicated who fired the murder weapon. But Wesson's surviving children testified that he wielded a high degree of control over his large clan: He preached to the family daily, weaving a dogma of polygamy and incest from his interpretations of the Bible and Seventh Day Adventist beliefs.

He was particularly severe with the young women, who testified they were home-schooled and had almost no contact with anyone outside the family.

Wesson beat them for speaking with men, and molested them from age 7 or 8. He also took any money they earned and dictated what they could eat.

[Sher]

FRESNO, Calif. — Convicted mass murderer Marcus Wesson (search) fired his defense attorneys Friday.

The surprise move by Wesson came as his sentencing hearing was getting underway this morning.

In telling the judge he was firing his attorneys, Wesson then requested a Marsden hearing (search), which would enable him to address his concerns directly to the judge.

Wesson was convicted last week of killing nine of his children, and of raping and molesting his daughters and nieces. Some of the victims were children he fathered with his own children.

Now, jurors must decide if Wesson should die from lethal injection, or spend the rest of his life in prison.