Man charged with killing UA student on trial today
Jack Willems
Issue date: 12/8/08 Section: News
A man charged with killing a UA senior last March will stand trial today on a count of capital murder and a count of burglary.
Zachariah Scott Marcyniuk was arrested for the death of Katherine M. Wood March 10. Wood died from multiple stab wounds the day beforehand. If convicted, Marcyniuk could be sentenced to death or given life without parole. Being convicted of burglary would result in a sentence between 5 and 20 years in prison.
Wood was a 24-year-old senior art and English major at the university the semester before her death. Marcyniuk, 29, was a graphic design major who dropped out earlier in the spring 2008 semester.
Wood and Marcyniuk had a long relationship until a few weeks before the death. That Sunday morning, Marcyniuk went to Wood's apartment where Wood opened the door and started screaming at him, according to a police affidavit. Marcyniuk said he remembered grabbing her, but then "blacked out," according to the affidavit.
He later told his parents that he thought he had hurt Wood badly before leaving for Oklahoma, according to the affidavit. The next day, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer pulled Marcyniuk over for speeding and then arrested Marcyniuk upon seeing that he was wanted for murder.
After a neighbor reported hearing screams, police found Wood dead in her bathtub, the victim of a violent struggle, according to a police affidavit.
Marcyniuk pleaded guilty in July 2005 to aggravated assault for holding his then-girlfriend against her will and threatening to commit suicide while driving 70 mph. He was sentenced to two years probation. The same girlfriend filed three orders of protection against Marcyniuk during 2005, according to court records.
Marcyniuk also has previous arrests for burglary and possession of stolen property.
Zachariah Scott Marcyniuk was arrested for the death of Katherine M. Wood March 10. Wood died from multiple stab wounds the day beforehand. If convicted, Marcyniuk could be sentenced to death or given life without parole. Being convicted of burglary would result in a sentence between 5 and 20 years in prison.
Wood was a 24-year-old senior art and English major at the university the semester before her death. Marcyniuk, 29, was a graphic design major who dropped out earlier in the spring 2008 semester.
Wood and Marcyniuk had a long relationship until a few weeks before the death. That Sunday morning, Marcyniuk went to Wood's apartment where Wood opened the door and started screaming at him, according to a police affidavit. Marcyniuk said he remembered grabbing her, but then "blacked out," according to the affidavit.
He later told his parents that he thought he had hurt Wood badly before leaving for Oklahoma, according to the affidavit. The next day, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer pulled Marcyniuk over for speeding and then arrested Marcyniuk upon seeing that he was wanted for murder.
After a neighbor reported hearing screams, police found Wood dead in her bathtub, the victim of a violent struggle, according to a police affidavit.
Marcyniuk pleaded guilty in July 2005 to aggravated assault for holding his then-girlfriend against her will and threatening to commit suicide while driving 70 mph. He was sentenced to two years probation. The same girlfriend filed three orders of protection against Marcyniuk during 2005, according to court records.
Marcyniuk also has previous arrests for burglary and possession of stolen property.
Be the first to comment on this story