The defense lawyer for murder suspect Mark Anthony Bethel, 54, asked a judge to reduce bond so he can get out of jail. He and his cousin, David Wayne Bethel, 40, were both arrested last year.
Mark is charged with two counts of murder. David is charged with one count of murder.
The charges stem from the October double murder of Shawn Summers and Jessica Ann Payton. Payton’s body was found in a small body of water at County Road 3600 & East County Road 7300. Court records said her body was weighed down with cinder blocks. Summer’s body was found in a burning vehicle at East County Road 6700 (19th Street) near County Road 2800.
Defense attorney Laurie Key said David confessed and Mark had nothing to do with it. She told State District Judge Jim Bob Darnell that after 8 months there was still no physical evidence to tie Mark to the crime.
Previous court records said that there were cinder blocks at David’s house, and cinder blocks were used on Payton’s body. In court, it was said there were cinder block chips in David’s vehicle.
According to the court proceedings, Payton used to date Mark. Also according to court proceedings she then had a relationship with Summers behind Mark’s back.
David’s mail correspondence in jail was intercepted.
“I was on dope and drunk and I’ll be punished for what I did,” David said in his mail. “I may never see my mother again.”
Key told the judge that Mark’s jail mail is exactly the opposite – writing that he had nothing to do with the murder.
Key told the judge that David fled to Oklahoma, Missouri and Arizona. Mark stayed in Lubbock. She also told the judge that Mark’s time card at work would indicate he was on the job at the time a witness heard shots corresponding with Payton’s murder.
Prosecutors objected to lowering bond. Mark Bethel was held Wednesday in lieu of bonds totaling $400,000. The judge said a ruling would come in the next few days.
CORRECTION: The family relationship in this story has been corrected to indicate they are cousins.
