A Texas man stalked his girlfriend as she tried to evade him. Eventually, he caught up with her and killed her. Now, he will remain behind bars for at least three decades.
A 19th State District Court judge sentenced Marcus Dee Scott, 44, to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the strangulation death of his girlfriend Unekeyia (Nikki) Shanta Walker, 29. After 30 minutes of deliberation, a jury found Scott guilty and convicted him of murder.
“Time did not diminish the hard work of those who made sure that the truth of this awful crime was found. It is inspiring to see members of this community recognize so clearly that the choices this defendant made over his life of violence toward women are deserving of the highest possible consequences,” said prosecutors in a statement, according to KWTX.
On Feb. 4, 2016, officers responded to 1917 N. 15th Street, where Walker’s body was found in her car outside her home. Upon their arrival, the victim was found in an unnatural position and stuffed in the driver's seat, looking disheveled. According to prosecutors, family members told investigators Walker had broken off the relationship due to the defendant's violent behavior towards her.
Two days before her death, the victim returned to her home to find Scott sitting on her porch. Soon, the victim returned with her cousin to get the defendant to leave. Next, they drove Scott back to his home before the defendant started sending threatening messages to her.
Suspecting her life was in danger, Walker stayed the night at her cousin’s house but left the next morning to pick up her children. That was the last time the victim was seen alive. During several interviews, Scott told investigators he had “Play-Choked” the victim during a previous altercation. However, he claimed it was in self-defense since Walker was bigger than him. Later, the defendant gave authorities his DNA, which came back two years later as a match for the blood found in the car with Walker’s body.
Scott was arrested soon afterward.
The defendant, who is now blind due to glaucoma, had been awaiting trial since 2018. Initially, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial but was cleared after receiving treatment at the Rusk State Hospital.
“The sentence doesn’t matter to him. He will sit in darkness either way,” said McLennan County Assistant District Attorney Will Hix, reported Waco Tribune-Herald.
Scott was sentenced as a habitual offender and would be eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
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