Murder charges were filed today in the case of a woman whose charred body was found in her Murrieta apartment after a fire on Halloween.
Shanae Wesley, 23, was found dead in her apartment after residents were awakened by an early morning blaze on Oct. 31. (Credit: Facebook)
Read: Murrieta woman who died in apartment fire identified, investigation continues
Marquise Denzell McGlown, 22, has been charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder, arson of an inhabited structure and vehicle theft, according to Riverside County District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall.
Read: Hemet man arrested in connection with woman found dead in burnt out apartment
McGlown, who also faces special allegations of lying in wait, murder during the commission of a rape and murder during the commission of a burglary could be eligible for the death penalty.
Shanae Wesley, 23, was found dead in her apartment after residents were awakened by an early morning blaze on Oct. 31 at the Waterstone Apartments, located at 24850 Hancock Ave. in Murrieta.
Wesley’s three-year-old son was rescued from the fire by a neighbor.
Read: Murrieta Police Department lines up fundraisers for little boy who lost mother to arson
Murrieta police investigators identified McGlown, a resident of Hemet, as a suspect in the case and took him into custody on Nov. 2.
According to Hall, evidence gathered by investigators suggested that on the evening of Oct. 30, 2012, McGlown was with a friend at a bar in Temecula.
Wesley was at the same bar with a friend and encountered McGlown’s friend, with whom she was already acquainted.
McGlown and his friend went to Wesley’s apartment and were both aware that Wesley’s son was in the apartment. McGlown’s friend left and believed McGlown had already left as well. However, McGlown had taken Wesley’s keys and made his way back into the apartment after his friend was gone and is alleged to have then raped and murdered Wesley, Hall said.
McGlown then set a fire in the apartment in an alleged attempt to cover up his crimes and fled the scene by stealing Wesley’s car.
On Nov. 2, 2012, Wesley’s 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt was recovered by police in a parking lot in Hemet, not far from McGlown’s residence.
McGlown is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Southwest Justice Center, located at 30755 Auld Road in Murrieta.
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