THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 4, 1994 TAG: 9410040446
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
A 16-year-old youth charged with killing his grandmother, half-brother and two cousins has been certified to stand trial for murder as an adult.
Marvin Owens faces two counts of capital murder, three counts of first-degree murder, four firearms charges and one count of robbery. If convicted, Owens could be sentenced to death. No trial date has been set.
Juvenile Court Judge Woodrow Lewis Jr. closed the hearing to the public and the media on Monday after Owens asked that it be private.
During the 3 1/2-hour hearing, prosecutors successfully argued that the case should be transferred based on the seriousness of the charges. The defense had argued that Owens would best be served in the juvenile system.
The defense is expected to appeal the transfer to Circuit Court.
The shootings occurred in July in the yellow one-story house in the 2300 block of Seaboard Road where the relatives lived. The motive is unclear.
Killed were 63-year-old Evelyn Ward, Owens' grandmother and one-time legal guardian; Thelma Harper, his cousin; Clifton Harper, another cousin; and 14-year-old Robert Ward, Owens' half-brother.
At least three of the victims were killed without struggling or trying to flee. That led detectives to believe the victims knew their killer and were comfortable around him.
Clifton Harper was shot to death in a lounge chair; Thelma Harper was shot while lying on a couch; and Evelyn Ward was shot in her bed. Robert Ward was found shot on the living-room floor.
Owens has been described in court as a seventh-grade dropout with past brushes with the law. Because of his age, his background is protected from public release.
KEYWORDS: ROBBERY MURDER
by CNB