Bell County DA to Seek Death Penalty in Cedric Marks Murder Case​

Bell County District Attorney Henry Garza has announced he will seek the death penalty in the case of accused murderer Cedric Marks.

Garza filed notice with the District Clerk Tuesday.

Marks, 45, is currently in the Bell County Jail in lieu of bonds totaling $2,016,500. He's charged with capital murder, tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair an investigation, interfering with an emergency call, filing a false report, violating a protective order, and burglary of a habitation.

Police say Marks' alleged accomplice, 26-year-old Maya Renee Maxwell, told investigators she was with him at a home in Killeen on the night of January 3, 2019. She told detectives victims Jenna Scott,28, and Michael Swearingin, 32, were alive when Marks forced them into separate rooms in the house. According to her statement, Maxwell saw Marks enter the room with Swearingin, heard a struggle, then realized Swearingin was dead. Marks then entered the room with Scott, after which another struggle ensued and Scott was killed.

Maxwell told investigators she was present when Marks hid the bodies of Scott and Swearingin on a rural property in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, where they were found on January 15. She also reportedly admitted to moving Marks' car to Austin and abandoning it in hopes of concealing it from police.

Maxwell remains in the Bell County Jail in lieu of bonds totaling $750,000. She's charged with capital murder and tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair an investigation. Back in June, police confirmed that Maxwell gave birth to a child while in jail. They did not release details on who the father might be or where the child might be placed.

Cedric Marks, an ex-MMA fighter and former boyfriend of Scott's, was arrested in Grand Rapids, Michigan in January and extradited to Bell County on January 31 for a burglary charge. (Police say he broke into Scott's home in Temple in August of last year.) He and Maxwell were reportedly being harbored by Marks' wife, Ginell McDonough.

On February 3, Marks temporarily escaped from police custody while being transported through Montgomery County, Texas. He was taken back into custody after a 9-hour manhunt involving county, state, and federal police.