Bucks County Man Found Guilty Of First Degree Murder In Deaths Of Pregnant Woman, Young Daughter
By Jim Melwert
DOYLESTOWN, Pa., (CBS) – A jury in Bucks County will now decide if a Levittown man will face the death penalty, or life in prison, after finding him guilty of two counts of first degree murder and three counts of third degree murder.
The jury spent 12 hours over two days in determining Marcel Johnson's fate, returning guilty verdicts of first and third degree murder for the deaths of 22-year-old Ebony Talley and her four-year-old daughter R'Mani Rankins. Also, third degree murder for Talley's unborn son.
"It was difficult, there was a viable defense, but the circumstantial evidence of this man's guilt was overwhelming. I think we drew a great jury and they weren't fooled by the defense," said Bucks County Chief of Prosecution Matt Weintraub.
Defense attorney Craig Penglase says he feels they presented a strong defense to the largely circumstantial evidence.
"Mr. Johnson was certainly leaving the scene of this crime, we conceded that throughout the case. He left the scene of the crime very shortly before the fire was discovered, and evidence like that is hard to overcome," said Penglase.
Talley was five months pregnant, stabbed over 30 times, her body lit on fire. Her daughter also stabbed and lit on fire.
Now the penalty phase, as the jury will have to decide either life in prison for the 22-year-old Johnson, or the death penalty.
