On Monday, the Davis Police announced that a 16-year-old male Davis resident was taken into custody, and is being held on charges for the double murder of Oliver Northrup and Claudia Maupin. There are no other suspects in this case. By early Tuesday, the Vanguard had learned the name of the suspect, but declined to disclose the information publicly until the charges became official.
Late on Tuesday, the Yolo County District Attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint against 16-year-old Daniel Marsh, who they claim “did willfully and unlawfully kill a human being, to wit, Oliver Northup, with malice aforethought. This is willful, premeditated, and deliberate murder within the meaning of Penal Code Section 189.”
In addition to two counts of murder, he faces a case enhancement for the willful, unlawful and personal use of a deadly weapon under Penal Code 12022(b)(1), for the use of a knife.
Mr. Marsh faces four special circumstances for committing multiple murders, for “heinous and depraved murder,” for “lying in wait,” suggesting that he hid from the victims and then attacked, and finally for torture committed during the commission of murder.
The DA’s complaint notes that Mr. Marsh will be charged as an adult for two reasons. First, that “Daniel Marsh was 15 years old at the time of the commission of the crimes alleged in Counts One and Two, and at least one SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE is alleged, and it is alleged that the defendant personally killed both victims.” Second, “that Daniel Marsh was 15 years old at the time of the crimes alleged in Counts One and Two, and that both victims were 65 years or older, and the defendant knew or reasonably should have known this.”
Mr. Marsh is reportedly being held without bail at Yolo County Juvenile Hall and scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 at the Yolo County Courthouse.
Under California law, Mr. Marsh is ineligible for life without parole due to his age of 15 at the time of the murders. He could face 25 to life for each of his two counts, plus additional time for the enhancements.
Assistant Police Chief Darren Pytel declined to discuss a motive for the killing.
Back in 2009, Daniel Marsh was a hero. In an article published on December 4, 2009, the Bee described how the 12-year-old Davis boy “grabbed the wheel of the family station wagon when his father, Bill Marsh, suffered a nearly fatal heart attack and blacked out while driving Nov. 9.”
The article reports, “Daniel steered the speeding car away from oncoming traffic and slammed it into a wall to stop it. Then he thumped his dad’s chest with his fist, as he’d seen on TV, until his dad’s heart started beating again.”
He would receive a Red Cross hero award for that heroic effort.
The 2009 article describes that 60-year-old Bill Marsh was suffering from a heart attack as he helped young Daniel Marsh with his homework. They attempted to drive to the hospital, only a few minutes away, when the father lost control of the vehicle.
Other public documents suggest trouble. Even at the time of the heart attack, Bill Marsh was divorced from Daniel Marsh’s mother, Sheri Hosking, who worked in the City of Davis’ Public Works Department.
Court records show that the family lost their Marina Circle home to foreclosure.
Davis police on Monday served search warrants at a number of locations, including locations on Lillard Drive and Cowell Blvd.
Records show that Ms. Hosking lives at the Lillard Drive home while Bill Marsh lived at the Cowell Blvd. home right near the victims’ house. However, the week before the killing, the owner of Bill Marsh’s condo apparently died and the family put the residence up for sale a few weeks later, forcing Mr. Marsh to move.
The DA’s complaint clarifies one piece of information that had not been clear. They put the time of the killing as April 13, 2013. However, the deceased couple, 87-year-old Oliver Northup of Davis, and his wife, 76-year-old Claudia Maupin, were not found until Sunday, April 14, 2013, when at approximately 9:20 pm, the Davis Police Department, responding to a call to the 4000 block of Cowell Blvd for a welfare check, made a gruesome discovery – two adults, deceased, with apparent stab wounds.
The police also declined to respond to questions as to whether it was a burglary that went awry, or whether there were more personal motivations.
The Bee talked to Mary Northup, who said, “I thought, ‘It’s a 16-year-old. It’s a kid. Why would a kid want to kill an 87-year-old father? My father would be the first to jump up to defend that kid.’ “
She said. “I’m sorry we’ve suffered for his poor judgment. But I’m also sorry for this young man who has ruined his life.”
Mr. Northup was a prominent defense attorney and has tried a number of death penalty cases.
He was an attorney for 63 years, passing the bar back in 1950, practicing appellate law and giving seminars at the public defender’s office. According to the Bee, even just before his death, at 87, he was continuing to work out of his home.
Mr. Northup and his wife Ms. Maupin were founding members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis. He was also a musician with a group called the Putah Creek Crawdads. He began singing around 1961 when he took a few group folk guitar lessons through the Davis Art Center.
Retired Yolo County Public Defender Barry Melton told the Bee, “Northup played guitar and sang with the Crawdads, a Davis folk ensemble. Northup’s last performance with the group was Saturday,” and he said that the two had performed together in the past.
The Bee reported that daughter Mary Northup had tried calling her father a number of times on that Sunday, and had a brother visit the home. She tried to visit, as well, and called the police to do a welfare check.
Ms. Northup told the Enterprise “My dad would say, ‘At 16, they should know better, but they can’t think clearly… If this person did it, they need to make compensation, or get better if this is someone who needs mental health help.
“But I’m not into revenge, and I don’t think my father would be into revenge,” she added.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
“Other public documents suggest trouble. Even at the time of the heart attack, Bill Marsh was divorced from Daniel Marsh’s mother….”
Not really.
I was told it was messy, extremely bitter and contentious.
David wrote:
> Other public documents suggest trouble. Even at the time
> of the heart attack, Bill Marsh was divorced from Daniel
> Marsh’s mother
Then Just Saying (who probably does not know that the majority of juvenile criminals and murderers come from broken families) wrote:
> Not really
P.S. Is there a free web site that has public divorce records in California (I have looked, but have not had any luck finding one)…
Lexus Nexus, but it’s a paid site.
You can access Westlaw for free at Yolo County Law Library; Sacramento Law Library has both Westlaw and LexisNexis; Yolo County Courthouse, downstairs, has a database of part of the civil and criminal records available to public for free – to see the files, you ask at window…but family law documents should not be available
I have nothing to support or to contest the now-added gossip. “Public documents” revealing a divorcé hardly “suggest trouble” that leads to murder is all I’m observing.
And you’re right, SOD, I haven’t seen any research that “the majority of juvenile criminals and murderers come from broken families.” However, since the majority of families are “broken” (in that there’s never been a marriage or there’s been a divorce), I guess the odds favor such a phenomenon. But, imagine the gigantic population that would be included if the “suggestion of trouble” was a valid observation. It’s kind of an offensive, meaningless commentary.
[quote] But, imagine the gigantic population that would be included if the “suggestion of trouble” was a valid observation. It’s kind of an offensive, meaningless commentary. [/quote]Interesting, and valid comment… I don’t recall the Vanguard discussing the names/marital status/employment of parents in the Topete case, or any of the other’s the Vanguard has addressed.
David, will this be the new “standard” for “reporting”, and/or should we ask for [u]more[/u], including full bios of parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, etc.?
@ JustSaying – David wasn’t trying to claim exact causation claiming that a contentious divorce may have traumatically impacted the life of a child.
@ hpierce – Given that this is a minor it seems like the information is more relevant than in some other cases. If you recall, David did mention the father’s vocation in the Garzon beating. So it it depends on the information available and the context. Other media accounts have also published this information.
– Cecilia
Cecilia… David did not stop at the “vocation” of the mother… he named the EMPLOYER, and the DEPARTMENT. Relevancy?
I’m thinking that there is a “red line” that has been approached/crossed.
To Don and the other members of the editorial staff: the young man won’t even be arraigned until this afternoon. Do you all approve of the details that the Vanguard has gone to? Neither the Bee nor the Enterprise have addressed the employer/department of the mother. I ask again, will this be the “new normal”?
Hi, Celia. Actually, he wrote that a public record revealing the parents’ divorce “suggested trouble” as part of a story about a child charged with murder. The implication was obvious to the casual observer, and inappropriate, in my opinion. Later, he doubled down, noting that unnamed sources told him the divorce “was messy, extremely bitter and contentious.” He was hinting about something.
I haven’t seen any other media reports noting that the parents’ divorce was a troublesome aspect of this horrific event. When someone is charge with a crime of this magnitude, pretty much all information about the suspect is of interest and is reportable. But, let’s leave it to the psychiatrists to evaluate where the trouble lies.
Some of us lived through a time of divorce as an odd exception (and when children of divorce commonly were considered on a road to juvenile delinquency) know this stereotype is unfair. Now that divorce is so common, this type of “tracking” has become meaningless.
hpierce, this is the old normal. The difference is that David has sources and is up earlier (and providing scoops) than the other media. I’ve little doubt all would have or will use details about Daniel Marsh’s life and relations that bring unwanted and undeserved public attention to his family. A lot of it will be purely speculative, such as last night’s tv interview with a psychologist. That’s just part do the broader tragedy of events such as this. Fame.
JS… understand, but still makes me gag.
Perhaps the blog should be renamed “Davis Inquirer”.
JustSaying wrote:
> I’ve little doubt all would have or will use details
> about Daniel Marsh’s life and relations that bring
> unwanted and undeserved public attention to his family.
If a Mom or Dad is not real involved with raising their son and he ends up beating gay guys or killing people in town I’m not sure the attention is “undeserved”…
[quote]To Don and the other members of the editorial staff:[/quote]
I’m not on the editorial staff. I’m moderator of the comments on the blog. I don’t deal with the content of the articles.
Hpierce: You’re welcome to take up the issue with the editorial board. They were not a party to the publication this morning. I based the decision on the age of the defendant and the content of other reports.
Sounds kind of gossipy today. Have to agree with posters who suggest a stigma attached to separated, divorced, never married couples raising children. Years ago, I’m positive the principal of North Davis Elementary began to treat my family differently when she learned my husband & I separated. The term “broken” is offensive. But when something “breaks”, at least there’s an effort to fix or repair? I’ve known some wonderfully content married folks. I’ve also know some horribly bitter people, just staying together until their kids reach adulthood. One married couple in my neighborhood announced their split the same week their child graduated from high school. Really? How does that make the kid feel? Good lawyers practicing family law often feel empathy for children caught in the middle of custody issues. To fight bitterly with your partner is one of the most narcisstic, mean things one can do as a parent. My thoughts, prayers go to the family of the deceased, and also the 16 year old and his family.
I think there is a story relative to divorce an heinous acts of children of divorced parents. It is no excuse, but it is something to discuss openly. Divorce sucks, but it is clear that it increases the risk of behavior problems for children. But it is when I hear of acrimonious divorce that makes me want to slap these parents. I know too many situations where one or more of these divorced or separated parents poisons the air relative to ongoing family relationships.
I would like to see a requirement that a marriage license requires a certification of passing a class on being a good husband, wife and parent. Then I would like to see a law that requires family counseling before divorce is granted by the courts.
JD
[quote]Years ago, I’m positive the principal of North Davis Elementary began to treat my family differently when she learned my husband & I separated. [/quote]
You have to be one of the most victimized people I’ve ever run across.
I for one think is reasonable to point out evidence of Dan Marsh’s troubled youth. Divorce, which is stressful under the best of circumstances, and a home foreclosure, suggest problems in this boys family life. As most kids facing similar family issues don’t commit brutal, calculated crimes, I assume this boys trouble ran much deeper. Many, like myself, are wondering what events in this child’s life worked to form the monster who committed this seemingly planned out and brutal crime. Beyond me own base curiosity, I think there is value in learning this information. Maybe in knowing we can learn to detect it in other troubled youth, and intervene before, in like this situation, many lives are ruined.
[quote]I would like to see a requirement that a marriage license requires a certification of passing a class on being a good husband, wife and parent. Then I would like to see a law that requires family counseling before divorce is granted by the courts.[/quote]
For someone who does not think it’s appropriate for schools to teach ethics and morals and seems to want to restrict government regulations and involvement in our lives and business operations your stance on this is very surprising to me.
I thought someone would respond this way.
If you know me, you will know that I care more about kids than I do adults. In fact, I care more about pets than I do adults. I think adults can be selfish, lazy, cruel, idiots that deserve scorn and punishment for hurting kids and pets.
I view divorce with kids involved as being the opitomy of selfish adult behavior. I see selfish, lazy, cruel and idiotic behavior of parents seeking to fullfil their long list of personal needs at the expense of their kids. I ask, why in the hell did they have kids if they were not ready to do the work and put their kids’ needs above theirs?
I want the government out of the business of helping stupid and lazy adults stay stupid and lazy. I fully support us spending resource to get the absolute best outcomes for helping each and every child achieve the greatest level of happiness and success possible.
Frankly, what is your age limit/threshold when your total sympathy for kids turn (at midnight?) into your impatience (or much stronger) for adults??
18 for level one, and 22 for a final level. 18 they graduate from high school, 22 they should have their undergraduate degree or four years of real-life experience.
But no matter, when a child does material harm to another, he/she must pay the price of rational consequences.
Of course I am always open to some objective nuance for when adult behavior expectations should be applied.
For example, have a child, then you own adult behavior expectations. Or, have developmental challenges, and maybe your date of expectation is extended or never fully occurs.
But, the excuse “I had a bad childhood” should no longer be accepted as a pass for any material bad behavior once a child reaches adult age.
[quote] I fully support us spending resource to get the absolute best outcomes for helping each and every child achieve the greatest level of happiness and success possible.[/quote]
So why not start teaching a class on being a good parent in schools? You’ve seemed very against this kind of idea in past posts.
Sometimes I don’t think it matters what type of upbringing or family situation a juvenile has had. Some kids are just bad seeds.
can’t think of a much more insensitive comment than that.
Who cares what you think anyway?
Sorry, was that insensitive?
[i]”So why not start teaching a class on being a good parent in schools? You’ve seemed very against this kind of idea in past posts.[/i]
You must have me confused with someone else.
He was in fact very troubled, I knew him extremely well. He was constantly bullied, he was short, fat, and pale. He hated life, so he turned to satan, and became a satanist. Was it his families divorce, yes. Was it school, yes. [edit] He has had a traumatic childhood, but it was not solely for the divorce that he did this.
the question isn’t whether you care how i think, it’s that this is a public forum and people know the parties involved in this horrible act and you should be more sensitive to that.
DP
[quote]Years ago, I’m positive the principal of North Davis Elementary began to treat my family differently when she learned my husband & I separated. [/quote]
First of all, the discussion in general was about what contributes to a child turning bad. It wasn’t specific to Daniel Marsh. Nowhere did I say that he was a bad seed. So next time read the rest of the comments so at least you have an idea of where the discussion is going before you spout off.
DP
[quote]the question isn’t whether you care how i think, it’s that this is a public forum and people know the parties involved in this horrible act and you should be more sensitive to that. [/quote]
First of all, the discussion in general was about what contributes to a child turning bad. It wasn’t specific to Daniel Marsh. Nowhere did I say that he was a bad seed. So next time read the rest of the comments so at least you have an idea of where the discussion is going before you spout off.
[quote]Sometimes I don’t think it matters what type of upbringing or family situation a juvenile has had. Some kids are just bad seeds.[/quote]
While I do not agree with this sentiment, based on the information available so far, it’s unfair to start villainizing the parents.
It is simple really… teach people well AND hold them responsible for their behavior… especially the behavior of adults that harms kids. But a lack of teaching or most other circumstances that the politically-correct like to push as reason for reduced accountability, should not be an excuse for behavior that materially harms another. A kid that materially-harms another should suffer just consequences if ONLY to teach, but also because it is the ethical and moral thing to do. Impulses of moral equivalency are problematic and disastrous because they are driven by emotions and emotions are not logical. You can have sympathy and empathy for any criminal, but that should not be a factor in the assessment of his accountability and punishment for having harmed others.
My problem with the current education system is that it harms a lot of kids when its primary focus and existence is based on helping ALL kids. I support it helping more… much more.
My problem with most divorces is that the divorced parents are pursuing their own selfish wants at the expense of their children.
“So next time read the rest of the comments so at least you have an idea of where the discussion is going before you spout off. “
i was concerned about the overall tone. ironically as i posted what i did, someone who appears to have known the kid posted a comment as well.
also everyone focused on david’s divorced comments and took them further than they seem intended, it seems like there is a lot there and he used that as an example. i know a number of families that got divorced and it can be a traumatic moment. but he may be suffering from depression, mental illness, sounds like he was bullied, there are just a lot of things that act together.
also everyone focused on david’s divorced comments and took them further than they seem intended, it seems like there is a lot there and he used that as an example. i know a number of families that got divorced and it can be a traumatic moment. but he may be suffering from depression, mental illness, sounds like he was bullied, there are just a lot of things that act together.
[quote]He was constantly bullied, he was short, fat, and pale. He hated life, so he turned to satan, and became a satanist. [/quote]
This is sad and unfortunate. The few photos publicly available on his Facebook support your claim . One disturbing image showed a partially desiccated human hand. On the page of a girl who “liked” this photo the phrase “I love you” was portrayed with a knife for the “I” and real heart for the “love” and a horseshoe for the “you”. Blood splattered the background.
I have no idea how prevalent the posting of these types of photos are by teens, or if it correlates to any significant way to their actions in real life, but they suggest a cry for help. Is anyone listening?
If bullying contributed to the child’s troubles I hope it will spur the school board and the district to take on this issue with more urgency then the have so far.
Public Defender’s office has the case. Next hearing will be July 2, 2013.
So where are the gang enhancements? Typical for Yolo County; Torture, lying in wait, gang enhancements [note sarcasm]
I view divorce with kids involved as being the opitomy of selfish adult behavior. I see selfish, lazy, cruel and idiotic behavior of parents seeking to fullfil their long list of personal needs at the expense of their kids. I ask, why in the hell did they have kids if they were not ready to do the work and put their kids’ needs above theirs?
Frankly,
How dare you judge me or anyone else who divorces.. I am NOT a selfish parent who was only looking after my own desires! I in no way married with the intention of divorcing 5 years later after having a child! After the divorce, my child has become a very lovely law abiding citizen! She has great dreams and aspirations which I will see to that she is able to accomplish! Take your over judgemental comments and stick them straight up! This boy did this and there is no way anyone can blame anyone but himself!!!!!!!!!!
Since I don’t know any of the parties involved, I’ll just say I’m saddened by the damage done to all the families involved.
I wish I was surprised by the predictable rude, insensitive and ignorant posts from the usual suspects. Don must be asleep at the switch. Outsiders looking in get a very negative view of Davis’ much vaunted/over-hyped? social conscience.
I will also observe that my own recent encounters with high school aged youth in Davis reflect a rude sense of entitlement in their language and demeanor. So much so, that on my last visit to a popular fast food joint, I heard more crude sexual epithets and racist taunts in 45 minutes, than I hear in South Sacramento in a month.
Biddlin ;>)/
biddlin wrote:
> I will also observe that my own recent encounters with
> high school aged youth in Davis reflect a rude sense of
> entitlement in their language and demeanor. So much so,
> that on my last visit to a popular fast food joint, I
> heard more crude sexual epithets and racist taunts in
> 45 minutes, than I hear in South Sacramento in a month.
Davis kids are not angels, and I agree with you that most (but not all) have a “rude sense of entitlement” but if you are saying that you will hear a THOUSAND times (there are almost 1,000 45 minute time slots in a month) more “crude sexual epithets and racist taunts” in Davis in than in South Sacramento you are either lying to make some point or you have never spent any time in South Sac (stop at the Burger King on Stockton Blvd. on a Friday night and I bet you hear African American kids use the “n word” while talking to each other more in 45 minutes than a typical Davis resident will hear in their lifetime…
My kids know him pretty well. Never heard anything about Satan or about bullying. This was, however, a deeply troubled boy, and adults at his home and school knew it.
Let’s call it mildly exaggerated(What makes you Davisites so spiteful?), but you got the point and what is not an exaggeration is the deference paid seniors and disabled folks by young people in my neighbourhood, who are not priviledged economically or socially by any definition. The exceptions are when I’m not called “sir” or a youngster fails to hold a door for me. Neither of those has happened yet, in my now six years of meeting with guitar clients in Davis.
[quote]I wish I was surprised by the predictable rude, insensitive and ignorant posts from the usual suspects[/quote]
[quote]I will also observe that my own recent encounters with high school aged youth in Davis reflect a rude sense of entitlement in their language and demeanor[/quote]
Just like not everyone who posts on site are rude, insensitive and ignorant, not all of our teenagers reflect a rude sense of entitlement.
[quote]
He was in fact very troubled, I knew him extremely well. He was constantly bullied, he was short, fat, and pale. He hated life, so he turned to satan, and became a satanist.
[/quote]
This is very sad. I wonder if there were any psychotropic medications involved.