LOCAL NEWS
BAYARD MAN ENTERS PLEA IN MURDER CASE
By KNEB RADIO, SCOTTSBLUFF
Oct 24, 2007, 06:34

A 50-year-old Bayard man accused of shooting his ex-wife and her boyfriend this past January has entered guilty pleas to first degree murder, second degree murder and three other counts. Arnold "Jesus" Marquez entered the pleas as part of a plea agreement resulting from the original eleven count complaint.

County Attorney Derek Weimer agreed not to pursue the death penalty regarding the shooting of the defendant's estranged wife, 39 year old Isabel Marquez. The second degree murder count involved the fatal shooting of her boyfriend, 28 year old Jorge Gonzalez.

Both shootings occurred at Isabel's Minatare home.

Weimer said the issue in the plea bargain was the fact the couple's five children, who were in the house at the time of the shootings, were uncomfortable being the main witnesses at trial.

Weimer said the fact the state's death penalty law is still in question also convinced him to accept a plea with a life sentence on the first degree murder count. Marquez could receive twenty years to life in prison on the second degree murder conviction.

Marquez also pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault of two of his minor children and use of a firearm in the fatal shooting of his wife. The sentence for the firearm charge, which could be up to fifty years in prison, will be consecutive to what Marquez receives for the other four counts.

Sentencing has been set for November 30th at 2 p.m.


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