Marcus Wesson appeared as a caring father to the world, but over two decades ago, he committed a heinous crime that left lasting scars on witnesses.
For 30 years, the ex-soldier subjected his wife and her children, some of whom were his own, to abuse. After serving in Vietnam, Wesson entered a relationship with Rosemary Solorio and resided with her and her eight children.
By 1971, Rosemary had given birth to Wesson’s son. In a disturbing turn of events, just three years later, he initiated sexual abuse against Rosemary’s eight-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. At 34, Wesson married Elizabeth, who was 14 at the time, and soon after, she gave birth to their first child.
The couple had a total of 10 children, including one infant who tragically passed away. Additionally, one of Elizabeth’s younger sisters entrusted her seven children to Wesson and Elizabeth due to her struggles with substance abuse.
Living off welfare benefits and money extorted from his children, Wesson, a jobless and tyrannical figure, was convicted of welfare fraud and perjury in 1989. The family endured squalid living conditions, residing in abandoned homes, shabby shacks, and even boats.
Behind closed doors, Wesson’s true nature emerged – a cruel patriarch who imposed his distorted beliefs on his family. He authored a twisted version of the Bible, asserting that Jesus was a vampire and proclaiming himself as God. His children were required to address him as Master or Lord, preparing for an impending doomsday.
Wesson’s daughters were groomed to be his future spouses, with lessons on sexual activities starting as early as eight years old. The abhorrent cycle of abuse resulted in Wesson impregnating two of his daughters and three nieces.
Household duties included degrading tasks like washing Wesson’s dreadlocks and body parts, while siblings were forbidden from interacting with each other or their mother.
In 2004, Wesson announced the family’s relocation from Fresno to Washington, sparking a confrontation with extended family members and fleeing nieces, leading to a tragic discovery.
Upon police intervention, a gruesome scene unfolded as nine bodies were found in a bedroom, each victim shot through the eye amidst antique coffins.
Wesson’s victims, all his children, met a tragic end. The despicable act remains etched in the memory of Fresno’s current Mayor and former police chief, Jerry Dyer, as the most horrific mass murder in the city’s history.
Wesson, now 79, resides at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, serving a life sentence after being sentenced to death in 2005. Governor Newsom’s moratorium on executions in California spared Wesson from the death penalty.
Despite the harrowing ordeal, Dyer and others still contend that Wesson’s heinous crimes warrant the ultimate punishment. The legacy of Marcus Wesson’s atrocities continues to evoke shock and outrage among those familiar with the case.