Death penalty sought against 4 Marines

[unhappycamper]

Death penalty sought against 4 Marines
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 22, 2009 5:27:10 EST

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Prosecutors said Wednesday they are seeking the death penalty for four Camp Pendleton-based Marines, including one from North Carolina, charged in the execution-style killings of a fellow serviceman and his wife.

Sgt. Jan Pietrzak, 24, and his wife, Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak, 26, were found gagged, tied and shot in the head Oct. 15 in the living room of their Winchester home. Investigators said the house had been ransacked and a fire had been set, an apparent effort to destroy evidence.

The four defendants are eligible for the death penalty because of the multiple murder and other special circumstance charges they face on top of their first-degree murder charges, Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco said.

“The absolute innocence of a beautiful, loving couple compared to the savagery of the actions of these four equally responsible defendants leads to one conclusion — that this is a death penalty case,” Pacheco said in a statement.

The defendants’ attorneys did not immediately return messages Wednesday night.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_marines_death_penalty_012109/%2e