Man’s trial for killing girlfriend rescheduled

The trial for Marcus Jay Hamilton, accused of killing his girlfriend in January 2013 in Bayou Vista, has been delayed until March 2015, according to St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court records.
The trial had been scheduled to begin Monday but was moved to March 2, 2015, by 16th Judicial District Court Judge James McClelland at the request of one of Hamilton’s attorneys, court records stated.
Hamilton, 20, of the 1700 block of Guyther Street in Patterson, was charged with second degree murder Feb. 28, 2013, in the apparent shooting death of Keyiona Chenevert, 18, of Bayou Vista.
On Dec. 5, Hamilton’s co-counsel Garron Matthew Johnson requested that the trial be rescheduled until the next available date, court records stated.
In the request, Johnson said that Hamilton’s parents originally hired attorney Anthony Marshall to represent Hamilton in the case, records stated.
“Based upon the growing concerns of defendant and his parents, defendant’s parents retained Garron Johnson, for the sole purpose of assisting Mr. Marshall in facilitating a pre-trial resolution in this matter,” according to Hamilton’s motion to continue the trial.
Johnson agreed to assist Hamilton if Marshall was allowed to remain as lead counsel in the case, court records said. Johnson received permission from Marshall to assist in the case, according to court records.
“Over the last few months, it has been a challenge to coordinate with Mr. Marshall the exchange of information relative to the representation of defendant’s rights at the trial set in this matter,” the motion stated.
“To date, Mr. Marshall’s office has represented that they are unable to contact Mr. Marshall, and are unable to locate defendant’s file in the office,” the motion said.
Based on Marshall’s absence from recent pre-trial conferences and motion hearings, Johnson contended that having Johnson take the position of lead attorney in the case is in Hamilton’s best interest, the motion stated.
Therefore, Johnson requested additional time to properly prepare the case for trial, and Hamilton terminated Marshall’s counsel as of Dec. 5, the motion said.
According to the affidavit for Hamilton’s arrest, on Jan. 21, 2013, the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office began investigating a homicide in the 100 block of Three B’s Lane in Bayou Vista.
Investigators determined that Chenevert had been murdered by a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, the affidavit said. Investigators discovered Chenevert and Hamilton had a physical relationship, the affidavit stated.
While being interviewed, Hamilton told investigators that the day of the murder, he and Chenevert exchanged several phone calls and text messages, the affidavit said. In the communications, Chenevert had informed Hamilton she was pregnant and wanting to end the relationship, according to the affidavit.
The Acadiana Crime Lab determined that the round used to murder Chenevert was from a .45-caliber pistol, the affidavit said. Another man, who investigators interviewed, said Hamilton called him and asked to borrow his Taurus pistol “to do a lick,” according to the affidavit. The man said Hamilton came to his home and picked up the pistol, which was fully loaded, the affidavit said.
The man said that Hamilton returned the gun Jan. 21, 2013, with two shell cases missing from the gun, the affidavit said. The man told authorities that after Hamilton returned the gun, he believed Hamilton had murdered Chenevert, the affidavit said. The man said he began trying to keep distance from Hamilton because he was scared Hamilton would kill him, the affidavit stated.