MMA Fighter Cedric Marks Facing Death Penalty in Texas for Alleged Double Murder

The District Attorney in Bell County (Texas) will seek the death penalty against veteran mixed martial artist Cedric Marks for an alleged double murder, according to Texas-based news outlet KWTX 10.

Bell County DA Henry Garza on Monday announced that his office filed formal notice with the District Clerk that he will be seeking the death penalty. Marks, a 45-year-old veteran of 59 professional fights, is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, 28-year-old Jenna Scott, and 32-year-old Michael Swearingin. Their bodies were found in Clearview, Okla., on Jan. 15. Scott and Swearingin were believed to be killed at a residence in Killeen, Texas, on Jan. 3.

Marks, who is being held on $1.7 million bond, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. There is also a separate $250,000 bond for burglary charges. Marks’ current girlfriend, Maya Renee Maxwell, is accused of helping to hide Swearingin’s vehicle from authorities and is also facing capital murder charges.

According to the report, Scott was in a relationship with Marks for two years and asked for a protection order from a judge, claiming “Marks threatens and hurts me and told me he had gotten away with murder before.”

Earlier this year, Marks escaped from a private prisoner transport in Conroe, Texas, before being recaptured after a nine-hour manhunt.

Marks competed in MMA as recently as March 2018, losing to Edmilson Freitas at Rocks Xtreme MMA 23 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Over the course of a career that began in 1998, the fighter dubbed “Spider-Man” compiled a 31-27 mark with one no contest while squaring off with the likes of Yves Edwards, Drew Fickett, Pete Spratt, Aaron Riley, Dennis Hallman, Travis Lutter, Daniel Sarafian and Bobby Voelker, among others.

Marks is set for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 29.