A New Beginning, A New Relationship

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Cops say Jeffrey Marshall shot and killed Elizabeth "Lynne" Waterson.

In the autumn of 2005, 30-year-old Elizabeth "Lynne" Waterson started fresh in a new city with a new job.  The striking and ambitious Ohio native moved to Fresno, Calif. to work as a salesperson for a major beauty products distributor and within months she was the top producer on her sales team. 

A few months after the move, Lynne met a man in a local bar named Jeff Marshall.  Jeff was 15 years older, but Lynne thought he was nice enough.  Both were from Ohio and both had a mutual love for animals.  However, after just a few dates, Marshall seemed to be taking the relationship extremely serious.  For Christmas, Marshall surprised Lynne with an expensive set of golf clubs.  By February, Jeff was already thinking about marriage and decided to purchase a diamond engagement ring.  When Jeff popped the question, Lynne turned him down.  Her family thought the proposal was odd since Lynne and Jeff had only been on a handful of dates.

Lynne soon realized that Jeff's amorous behavior was bordering on obsessive and she cordially broke it off with him.  Cops say that's when Jeff took things to a whole new level.

A Savvy Stalker's Dangerous Obsessions

Police say that Marshall utilized his knowledge of technology to monitor Lynne's every move after the relationship ended.  Family members say that they were tipped off when they dialed Lynne's cell phone, and Jeff would answer.  Marshall had her calls forwarded to his phone.  Cops say that he would listen in on her intimate conversations and delete messages from family, friends, and potential new suitors.  Lynne soon figured out what Marshall was up to and changed phone numbers.  But cops say that didn't stop him...he managed to obtain her new number and continued to monitor her. 

Authorities say that this form of stalking is actually easier than most people think.  With the advent of GPS trackers in every cell phone, someone willing to pay a monthly fee and obtain the right software can track anyone they choose at any time.    Marshall would simply log on to a web site that enabled him to locate Lynne whenever her phone was on. 

Cops say this allowed Marshall to track Lynne wherever she went; following her to cities she traveled to on business.  He even followed her to an ex-boyfriend's house in Santa Cruz, Calif. where he showed up and confronted her. 

In addition to the bizarre and disconcerting behavior, Lynne's family told police that they saw firsthand that Jeff Marshall's obsession had the potential to turn deadly.  They claim that Marshall had made death threats to Lynne in the past, but she put on a brave face and shrugged them off.  What Lynne didn't know is that Marshall had been in trouble with the law for altercations with another woman who was previously in his life. 

Years ago, cops say that Marshall bound an ex-girlfriend with Velcro straps.  Then he attempted to rape the woman and tortured her with a stun gun.  Marshall turned himself in to authorities days later and was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to domestic violence charges.

A Deadly Encounter

Cops believe that when Marshall was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, he decided that life wasn't worth living without the woman he loved which placed Lynne in a deadly and precarious situation.   

Fresno police say that on the evening of April 3, 2007, Lynne returned from a vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with her sister.  When she entered her apartment, Marshall was there with a gun.  Police say he shot Lynne multiple times and she died within moments.  Marshall fled, but not before trying to cover his tracks.  When police reviewed her voicemail messages, there was one last message from Marshall saying that he was disconnecting his cell phone and he wouldn't be reachable.  Cops say they saw this fake farewell for what it was: an attempt to make it look like he had broke it off with her and had nothing to do with her murder. 

Cops believe Marshall had methodically planned Lynne's murder.  He liquidated his assets and made purchases solely with cash or disposable credit cards that couldn't be traced.

The Fresno Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating Jeff Marshall.  Marshall fled and hasn't been seen since.  Marshall has ties to Nevada, Ohio, Florida, and California and mentioned in his phone farewell that he may be headed to Amsterdam.  Cops say that Marshall is intelligent, claims to have a photographic memory, and could be seeking medical treatment for his prostate cancer.

-By Robert Brown, AMW Staff