VA VA - Marion Marshall, 72, & Marion Newman, 74, Springfield, Aug & Nov 2006

Anon1976

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I have been looking through the forums and am surprised that I haven't seen the case below mentioned. Below is from the Washington Examiner..

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/2011/10/police-seeking-killers-two-marions/119818?page=0%2C0%2C0%2C1

Cold case detectives in Fairfax County are looking for the killer or killers of two Marions.

In 2006, two elderly women named Marion were slain in Springfield. On Nov. 21, 2006, at approximately 11:15 a.m., police responded to a murder on 7102 Reservoir Road in Springfield. A friend had discovered the body of 74-year-old Marion Newman earlier that morning inside the home. The cause of death was trauma to the upper body, according to the police report. The investigation reported that there were no signs of forced entry, but there were signs of a struggle.

Police have not yet found a motive for the killing. Though they have not determined whether it was a robbery, a distinctive ring that Newman often wore was missing from her body. The white gold ring, illustrated with a leaf design on the band, was custom-made. It included a three-diamond setting and the diamonds were set side by side. According to Fairfax County police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell, people who knew Newman said it was unusual for her to be without the ring.

"The detective hopes that someone who is familiar with the ring either bought it or looked at it or saw it at a pawn shop," Caldwell told The Examiner.

Earlier that year, on Aug. 14, police had responded to a similar slaying in a neighborhood not far from Newman's. At 6:10 p.m., Marion Marshall was found dead in her home at 6620 Bostwick Drive. Like Newman, the cause of death was trauma to the upper body. Store surveillance videos from the Giant Food at the Bradlick Shopping Center show that Marshall had been shopping at about 11:15 a.m. that morning.

A cold case detective with the Fairfax County police has looked at similarities in the two cases.

"There are pieces that link them and continue to link them," Caldwell said.

Despite the many leads on the two slayings, none has yielded a suspect
 
This is an odd one.

kTc9Yms.jpg

Marion Newman and Marion Marshall

Autopsy: Older Women Died of Strangulation
Thursday - 5/3/2007, 1:24pm ET
Neal Augenstein, WTOP Radio

On Aug. 14, a friend found Marshall dead in her home in the 6600-block of Bostwick Drive. She was last seen at the Bradlick Shopping Center earlier in the day.

A few months later, a friend found the body of Marion Newman in the 7100-block of Resevoir Road. There were no signs of forced entry into the home and there were signs of a struggle. Newman was last seen a few days earlier. Police still believe both murders were committed by the same person -- a man with connections to the Edsall Park and Crestwood communities.

TITvjKe.jpg

A look at Marion Newman's ring that was taken. (Photo: courtesy of Fairfax County Police)

http://www.wtop.com/120/1131934/Autopsy-Older-Women-Died-of-Strangulation-
It's been almost six years since they were beaten to death in their homes—two single Springfield women in their 70s who didn't know each other, but had the same first name, no children, looked alike and lived in nearly identical red brick ramblers within three miles of each other. The victims were killed three months apart, and in both cases, there was no sign of a break-in.
http://patch.com/virginia/lorton/still-no-leads-in-springfield-marion-murders

[url]http://ww2.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/archivestory.php?id=218397


[/URL]http://www.truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=cases&id=177
 
After the case turned cold, detectives turned to Parabon NanoLabs, which specializes in DNA phenotypic and genetic genealogy analysis, to develop composite sketches of the suspect. Police previously ran DNA samples gathered from the scene across a nationwide database of samples, but failed to find any leads. Parabon uses its technologies to predict physical appearance and biological relationships from unidentified DNA evidence.

The company provided three sketches based on what the suspect may look like at the age of 25, 40 and 55.
upload_2019-12-10_4-30-49.jpeg
Detectives urge anyone with information about the crimes to call the major crimes bureau at 703-246-7800 or submit an anonymous tip online or by texting “TIP187” to 274637.
Reston-based DNA Technology Company Finds New Leads in 2006 Double Murder
 
Investigators never found anyone who got eyes on the suspect in 2006, but now his DNA is painting a picture. Fairfax County police are releasing composite images of the suspect created by Parabon Nanolabs in Reston.
upload_2019-12-10_4-32-58.png
Marion Marshall was a 72-year-old librarian who was preparing a meal for a friend with cancer before she died. Marion Newman, 74, worked with the elderly, loved dogs and was known as ‘Sweetie’ to her family. FOX 5 spoke to relatives who didn’t want to be identified because they’re still terrified of the man who killed two innocent women and got away with it.

“I can still see the moment I got the phone call,” said Marshall’s relative. “I mean, I just screamed. It was horrible.”

“It was like, ‘There’s got to be a mistake, I mean, I must be in a nightmare,’” said Newman’s family member.
upload_2019-12-10_4-34-22.png
Marion Murders: Police release composite images of man who killed, sexually assaulted 2 Virginia women
 
Unsolved Burke, Springfield Homicides Listed On New Webpage

July 29, 2020
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — The Fairfax County Police Department has launched a cold case webpage to give more visibility to unsolved homicides. The page features cases spanning six decades from the 1960s to the 2010s, including some in Burke and Springfield.
[.....]
The initial cases posted on the Cold Cases webpage do not reflect a complete list of all cases assigned to the Cold Case Squad. Detectives continue to review files to provide details of all cold cases throughout the six decades.
[.....]
Aug. 14, 2006

Marion Marshall, 72, was found strangled to death in her home in the 6600 block of Bostwick Drive in Springfield. This case is related to the unsolved homicide of Marion Newman.

Nov. 21, 2006

Marion Newman, 74, was found strangled to death at her home in the 7100 block of Reservoir Road in Springfield. This case is related to the unsolved homicide of Marion Marshall.
 
The suspect definitely seems like he was after a specific victim. These two women seem very similar. Both were elderly, lived alone, had no children, both were named Marion and were both strangled. Whether this was a coincidence or not, maybe there are/were other victims out there in the surrounding area etc.
 
I am hoping if paragon was enlisted to create a genetic snapshot, they will follow up with some genetic genealogy - fingers crossed for a break in this case.
 
Does anyone think it’s possible that the killer died shortly after the two murders and that is why he has not been connected to any other cases?
 
Wasn't there another case very similar to this one? Meaning, two people living in close proximity to one another with no known acquaintance but sharing a first name? Seems like it happened in Texas if I remember correctly. I can't remember names but I know I have heard of a similar case before. I will look it up.

Edit- This is the case I was thinking of-Mary Morris

TX - TX - Two women named Mary Morris slain, Harris County, 12 & 15 Oct 2000
 
Wasn't there another case very similar to this one? Meaning, two people living in close proximity to one another with no known acquaintance but sharing a first name? Seems like it happened in Texas if I remember correctly. I can't remember names but I know I have heard of a similar case before. I will look it up.

Edit- This is the case I was thinking of-Mary Morris

TX - TX - Two women named Mary Morris slain, Harris County, 12 & 15 Oct 2000
Wow, what a strange case. Thank you for sharing. I have never heard of Mary Morris and Mary Morris. To hear of people with the same name being murdered around the same times is pretty unforgettable. They both looked alike, one big similarity to these Marions.

Beyond physical likeness and no known connection between the victims, the cases are so different though.

With the two Marions, I can’t seem to understand any motive other than sexual assault/thrill of killing. It seems like the killer had a victim preference and it would be almost statistically impossible that he didn’t have enough time to plan his victims. The similarities that the Marions have with one another are abundant.

To me, this rules out someone who was traveling in the area for a short time. I have considered that the killer was not an American resident, due to the lack of connections with his DNA.

From past serial killers, we know that the need to kill again arises at some point. Are there any other cases that would put us in mind if this case/killer?

What do you guys think would need to be present in the case to appease the killer? Older women, women of great similarity, woman sharing the same name, sexual assault, strangulation, missing rings, attacks while returning to their homes, women who live alone?

It seems so unlikely to me that this killer just committed these two crimes and stopped killing. We know he can’t be incarcerated due to his DNA not being linked, correct?

What other scenarios, not including death, could be plausible for us not hearing of similar cases or other victims named Marion?
 

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