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Man pleads guilty to murdering grandmother

By Laura McVicker
Published: December 3, 2009, 12:00am

A 22-year-old Vancouver man pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder for beating his grandmother to death in 2007.

Daniel P. Marter was scheduled to go to trial next week on charges of first-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement, second-degree theft and forgery. But he agreed to plead guilty to murder in exchange for prosecutors dropping the weapon enhancement and other charges, said Senior Deputy Prosecutor John Fairgrieve.

Marter will be sentenced Jan. 6 by Clark County Superior Court Judge Diane Woolard.

Fairgrieve and Marter’s attorneys, Lou Byrd and Michael Foister, plan to recommend a 20-year prison term, the low end of the state’s sentencing range. In Washington, first-degree murder carries between 20 and nearly 27 years in prison.

Marter was arrested the evening of Dec. 18, 2007, after he had earlier brought the body of his grandmother, Maurine E. O’Neal, 63, to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center.

She suffered blunt force head trauma, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Marter had been living with his grandmother at her condominium at 13216 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., No. K-1.

When he came home the evening of Dec. 14 after a night with friends, Marter allegedly said he “lost it” after his grandmother began “running her mouth,” according to court papers.

He told detectives he noticed a rock by the front door.

In an earlier court hearing, Fairgrieve said that Marter may have tried to dispose of the body before he took it to the hospital.

Marter has as unrelated theft case that will be dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea, Fairgrieve said.

Laura McVicker: 360-735-4516 or laura.mcvicker@columbian.com.

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