Arraignment Delayed in Fresno Mass Murder Case

The Fresno father who was supposed to be arraigned on nine counts of murder Wednesday had the court date postponed.

Marcus Wesson, 57, refused a public defender, and the judge gave him 24 hours to find his own attorney.

Two of Wesson’s sons came to court, and seeing their father was apparently difficult. One cried out several times, “I love you, Dad,” and had to be taken out of the courtroom. The other son just shook quietly.

Investigators in Fresno haven’t revealed a possible motive, but authorities say Wesson had cult-like control over his children, mostly girls, at least one of whom was apparently the result of incest with another daughter. The coroner says it appears that none of the victims even struggled or tried to escape before being killed.

Witnesses from around California remember Wesson. They say he and his family were nomads, who lived in a camp in the mountains and on an old tugboat in Marin before moving to Fresno a few months ago. The family was hauled around in an old school bus that was parked out in front of the murder scene.

Meantime, the Fresno Police Department says it’s investigating the possibility that the nine people were shot while officers waited outside the home Friday. Police were responding to a custody dispute, and some neighbors say they heard gunshots after the standoff started. However, the officers on the scene deny hearing any weapons fire.

Read Another Article

AUM victims, lawyers reiterate call for compensation
U.S. Credibility Hurt, Survey Finds

Related News Articles Topic(s): Marcus Wesson Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Marcus Wesson Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog