Spring Break
New charges mean death penalty or life
Traveler Staff
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: News
The Washington County prosecuting attorney brought a capital murder charge Wednesday against a man arrested in connection with the death of a UA student.
The new charge holds the possibility of either the death penalty or a life sentence without parole for Zachariah Scott Marcyniuk, who was arrested for the first-degree murder of UA senior Katharine M. Wood Sunday afternoon.
Wood died from multiple stab wounds, according to an initial medical examiner's report, said John Threet, the Washington County prosecuting attorney. Threet also filed a residential burglary charge against Marcyniuk, who was a graphic design major at the UA until he dropped out earlier this semester.
Marcyniuk is being held without bond and his arraignment is scheduled for March 26.
Marcyniuk waived extradition from Oklahoma, where an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer had taken him into custody 31 miles north of the Texas border, according to a Wednesday press release from the Fayetteville Police Department. Washington County Sheriff's deputies traveled to Beckham County, Okla., Tuesday to take custody of Marcyniuk and brought him back to Fayetteville.
Wood was an art and English major at the UA. She had ended her year long relationship with Marcyniuk a few weeks ago, her friends said.
Marcyniuk went to Wood's apartment Sunday morning, according to a police affidavit, where Wood opened the door and began screaming at him. Marcyniuk grabbed her, but he didn't remember anything else, according to the affidavit.
He told his parents later that morning before fleeing Fayetteville that he thought he had "hurt Katie real bad," according to the affidavit.
Marcyniuk was arrested in 2005 for aggravated assault on his former girlfriend. He had taken her to a remote area near Devil's Den State Park in West Fork, showed her a gun and threatened to kill himself, according to the affidavit.
Marcyniuk has additional previous arrests in Washington County for first-degree false imprisonment, violation of protection order, burglary, theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief.
He also has previous arrests for burglary and possession of stolen property.
The new charge holds the possibility of either the death penalty or a life sentence without parole for Zachariah Scott Marcyniuk, who was arrested for the first-degree murder of UA senior Katharine M. Wood Sunday afternoon.
Wood died from multiple stab wounds, according to an initial medical examiner's report, said John Threet, the Washington County prosecuting attorney. Threet also filed a residential burglary charge against Marcyniuk, who was a graphic design major at the UA until he dropped out earlier this semester.
Marcyniuk is being held without bond and his arraignment is scheduled for March 26.
Marcyniuk waived extradition from Oklahoma, where an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer had taken him into custody 31 miles north of the Texas border, according to a Wednesday press release from the Fayetteville Police Department. Washington County Sheriff's deputies traveled to Beckham County, Okla., Tuesday to take custody of Marcyniuk and brought him back to Fayetteville.
Wood was an art and English major at the UA. She had ended her year long relationship with Marcyniuk a few weeks ago, her friends said.
Marcyniuk went to Wood's apartment Sunday morning, according to a police affidavit, where Wood opened the door and began screaming at him. Marcyniuk grabbed her, but he didn't remember anything else, according to the affidavit.
He told his parents later that morning before fleeing Fayetteville that he thought he had "hurt Katie real bad," according to the affidavit.
Marcyniuk was arrested in 2005 for aggravated assault on his former girlfriend. He had taken her to a remote area near Devil's Den State Park in West Fork, showed her a gun and threatened to kill himself, according to the affidavit.
Marcyniuk has additional previous arrests in Washington County for first-degree false imprisonment, violation of protection order, burglary, theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief.
He also has previous arrests for burglary and possession of stolen property.
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