Lakewood and Jackson terror suspect, facing possible life sentence, jailed pending trial
TOMS RIVER — Dion Marsh had a clean record before his alleged spree of violence and terror in Lakewood and Jackson earlier this month, according to testimony Tuesday during Marsh’s detention hearing.
Now Marsh, 27, who showed a sharp change in demeanor in Ocean County Courthouse via videoconference compared to his outbursts in the two prior detention hearing attempts, is looking at the possibility of a life behind bars.
The slew of state and federal charges against Marsh could bring prison sentences of hundreds of years if there’s multiple convictions.
One charge alone, a state terrorism charge, calls for a minimum prison term of 30 years without the possibility of parole and a maximum term of life.
That charge also virtually assured that Marsh would remain in jail pending trial, which Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan ordered.
Marsh is also charged with carjacking, bias intimidation, attempted kidnapping and attempted murder among other offenses. Federal authorities have charged him with hate crimes. Most if not all of the victims were identifiable as being Orthodox Jewish people, authorities said.
The prospect of a life in prison could only have grown when Marsh was interrogated by investigators. After waiving his Miranda rights, he confessed, according to Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Victoria Esler.
During that interrogation, Marsh underscored his intent to investigators, Esler said.
“It had to be done,” Marsh told investigators, Esler said. “These are the real devils.”
Asked what he meant, he said the Hasidic Jews, Esler said.
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Marsh's attorney, Assistant Deputy Public Defender Marissa DeAnna, said a pretrial assessment found Marsh to be a low risk of both failing to appear in court and continuing his criminal behavior. Marsh’s record shows no charges in Superior Court or municipal court, she said.
But the terrorism charge outweighed those factors even before other circumstances were discussed.
Marsh, speaking from behind a cell door, remained mostly reticent, after hurling no shortage of profanities at the judge in the prior attempts at detention hearings. At the conclusion of Tuesday's hearing when Ryan asked Marsh if he understood his ruling, Marsh said that he did.
“Thank you for your time,” he told the judge. “And I hope everyone’s OK.”
At an April 13 hearing, Marsh told Ryan at one point, "Yea, I know my rights. Do you know who the f—- I am? Do you know who the f—- I am?’’
At that same hearing,, as the judge was reading the attempted murder and bias intimidation charges against him in one of the incidents, Marsh interrupted and said, “I’m pretty sure he did die, sir. I’m pretty sure he did die,’’ referring to a victim.
During the spree, Marsh’s estranged girlfriend told authorities he was showing signs of paranoia, Esler aid.
After that breakup, Marsh reportedly said, “It was going to be a bloodbath,” according to Esler.
Esler gave the following account of the actions of a man later identified as Marsh, accused of victimizing at least five people:
That spree began about 1:09 p.m. on April 8, when a man allegedly tried to get into another man’s vehicle, Esler said. That man, later identified as Marsh, hung onto the car and reached toward the man’s juvenile children in the back as the vehicle traveled a city block before losing the man clinging to the side.
At 1:18 p.m., a man forced another man out of his car in Lakewood, assaulting and injuring him in the process, then took his gray Toyota Camry and drove away.
Hours later, at 5:20 p.m., a victim was crossing the street when a dark colored sedan struck the right side of his body, causing serious injury.
A few minutes later, a man – later identified as Marsh - tried to pull a 17-year-old boy into the car.
At 6:06 p.m., another victim was struck by a dark or maroon colored vehicle that Marsh was later identified as driving.
At 6:55 p.m., an individual had been stabbed in the chest with a knife and the suspect fled the scene in the same vehicle.
At 8:23 p.m., a pedestrian was struck in Jackson. The vehicle, which matched the description of the gray Toyota Camry that had been stolen from the second victim, was found disabled on the road near the scene.
Marsh’s estranged girlfriend identified the suspect in surveillance video as Marsh.
At 10:44 p.m. detectives executed a no-knock search warrant at the address listed on Marsh’s driver's license. Marsh was found lying on a bed, holding a machete on his chest. He was taken into custody.
Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news, investigations and local issues. Reach him at kserrano@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lakewood NJ hate crime suspect Dion Marsh facing life sentence
