Marshall's Oldest Sons: Keep 'Blind Faith' Killer Locked Up

The two oldest sons of Robert O. Marshall have asked the state Parole Board to keep him in prison, according to a report in Friday’s Asbury Park Press.

The newspaper said Roby and Chris Marshall issued a statement via Colleen Marshall, Chris’ wife, saying the two had traveled to Trenton in August to speak with personally with members of the parole board to request no parole for the former Toms River insurance salesman, who was convicted in 1986 of the 1984 contract killing of his wife, Maria.

Marshall, 75, has been granted a hearing with the full state Parole Board, which is expected to happen in March. He was initially sentenced to death, but the death sentence was overturned on appeal, and in 2006 he was sentenced to 30 years to life.

The statement was in response to Thursday’s Press report that the state Parole Board had received almost 50 letters from the general public on Marshall’s request for parole. The Press report, which focused on letters released to the Press, said all but two of the letters opposed Marshall’s release and that none of the correspondence released was from Marshall’s family.

Under state law, letters submitted by a victim or, if the victim is deceased the nearest relative of the victim, are deemed confidential and would not be subject to public disclosure, Dina I. Rogers, records custodian of the state Parole Board, told the Press.

Read more of the Press’ article here.